TNAG-0979-FCO40-1198-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-British-nationality-1980 — Page 5

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Mr Adams

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CONFIDENTIAL

HKK

3,40

RECEIVED ESS

16 JUN 1980

BERK OFFICER INDEX

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NEW NATIONALITY LAW: DEPENDENT TERRITORIES

1.

58

I attach a draft record of the meeting on 9 June between the Lord Privy Seal and the Home Secretary. The Home Office will no doubt produce a record of their own but it may be useful to have our own version.

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2. I suggest that we now send the Governor of Hong Kong a telegram on the lines of the attached draft, authorising him to bring the Executive Council up-to-date on the present position. This will enable him to emphasise the fact that Ministers have paid careful attention to the representations they have received from Hong Kong. NTD may wish to add some background on the overall need to new legislation in order to emphasise that this is not aimed at Hong Kong.

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the Governor. W.J.A.

3. I hope that it will be possible, as I have suggested in the draft telegram, for Hong Kong (and all other Dependent Territories) to be sent copies of the White Paper in advance so that local Ministers and/or Executive Councils may be informed. This is politically extremely important and should help in defusing criticism that HMG is railroading the Dependent Territories. The Governors can, at the same time be given guidance on particular points to make in individual territories.

4.

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NTD will no doubt now be discussing with the Home Office the drafting of amendments to take account of the agreement between the Lord Privy Seal and the Home Secretary that the White Paper should have a distinctly green tinge as regards the sections on the Dependent Territories citizenship title, I would be grateful if HKGD could be consulted about this. It would be useful if the paper contained a specific reference to feelings in the Dependent Territories and an undertaking to take representations into consideration.

5. It will, of course, also be important in the re-drafting exercise to ensure that the Home Office do not cast too much doubt over their definite acceptance of three categories of citizenship (a point at which Mr Woodfield hinted at the meeting).

9 June 1980

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PS/LPS Mr Donald Mr Gray NTD

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HKG 340/4

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18 JUN 1980

Hong Kong and General Department

CONFIDENTIAL