香港布政司署
CONFIDENTIAL
(Covering SECRET)
CHIEF SECRETARY'S OFFICE
GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT
HONG KONG
HICIC 34011
RELEVO
(62) in SCR 39/2091/72 V
Alan Donald, Esq., C. M. G., Foreign and Commonwealth Office, London, SW1A 2AH,
England.
0 2 DEC 380
DER HC & INDEX
is
37
.ken
t10
AW 106
20th October, 1980
123A
132
135
Jean Alan,
White Paper on British Nationality
FOLIO BAKK 340/1
*187
Please refer to Jones' letter reference GNN 340/1(7) of 10th July, 1980 on the above subject. We referred to this in our telegram no. 1026 of 16th August and said that we should in due course be forwarding comments on the White Paper. The purpose of this letter is to present these comments to you, to state our views on the points raised in your letter and to seek clarification on a number of other matters.
2.
WP
Generally the White Paper received a cool reception here. It was initially accorded wide coverage in Chinese and English press, and provoked considerable critical comment, The main reactions were of concern that the Paper represented an indefinable but distinct shift in the U. K. 's attitude towards Hong Kong, with implications of relinquishing sovereign responsibilities in the future, that it had a discriminatory effect of classifying Hong Kong people as second class citizens, and that it would produce unfair and unnecessary practical difficulties for Hong Kong British passport holders, with the possibility that third countries might change their policies and require such persons to obtain visas.
3. The more specific points of concern which follow incorporate the views of Unofficial Members of the Executive and Legislative Councils (UMELCO) and all the principal responses to the White Paper which have been brought to notice.
Nomenclature
4.
Your para. 5. We suggest "British Dependency Citizen" as an alternative for your consideration. This is a simpler title and maintains the sequence of words used in "British Citizen" and "British Overseas Citizen".
/cont'd.
CONFIDENTIAL
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.