TNAG-0979-FCO40-1198-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-British-nationality-1980 — Page 184

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CONFIDENTIAL

B401

RECEN EDIN REGISTRY NO. 51 11 MAR 1980

DESK OFFICER INDEX

Mr. Worthum

I hike it NTD trave

PA

the tel I sent furn HIC

RC Fursland Esq

FED

FCO

Dear Rester

in the

REGISTRY

Sation Taken

Хи

the Sovann's views in

this quester. Where thes

8/2 の

ทาล

Augutui jyi. Ele 30A

Jshian.

British Embassy B.

7 February 1980

achin now rest. Do we need

18.6.80

B.U. Eats Clift

o.r.

(this really amounts

to no more then con- formation of what we

already lies to be the

-

anther mucky? £4/2 Peking view - but you

PROPOSED CHANGES IN BRITISH NATIONALITY LAW

1

will wish to be aware that it has been re-iterated)

We have now received the references promised in FCC telno 2_Faragraph 4 of FCO Telno Personal 1 of 4 January to Anguilla goes

some way to explaining why a separate title for administrative purposes has been considered necessary for each colony.

212

2.

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Our main concern from Peking, which you will appreciate, is to avoid any change in title which might suggest to the Chinese that a separate Hong Kong British citizenship were being created. As pointed out in our Telno 89 of 4 February the possible titles for administrative purposes come closer to this than the likely collective title. Appearing as it would in Hong Kong British passports it would also be brought to the attention of the Chinese authorities in a direct way (and they have only recently been accepting Hong Kong British passports as valid travel documents for bearers of Chinese race);

3.

If a change in collective title is unavoidable (and nothing in this letter should be taken as altering our stron preference for no change), we cannot frankly understand why the new collective title cannot appear at the bottom of page one of the pasport where at present it reads "National status: British subject: Citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies". The iniication of the individual territory to which the bearer belongs is stated quite clearly under the Arms on the cover and under the word "Passport" on page one. If any further indication of individual territorial belonging were required, would it not be possible to include an endorsement on page 5 "holder has the right of abode in Hong Kong (Gibraltar, St Helena or wherever)

#1 just as British passports issued to UK belongers have a parallel endorsement referring to their right of abode in the United Kingdom'

82210/2

CONFIDENTIAL

/4.