TNAG-0980-FCO40-1199-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-British-nationality-1980 — Page 230

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(D) MINISTERS HAVE NOW FIRMLY AGREED TO THE REQUEST FOR A

SEPARATE CITIZENSHIP CATEGORY FOR THE DEPENDENT TERRITORIES. AND

THE WHITE PAPER WILL INDICATE THIS:

(E) BECAUSE OF THE NEED TO HAVE CITIZENSHIP CATEGORIES AND

DESIGNATIONS WHICH WILL BE CONSISTENT WITH THE UK'S IMMIGRATION

LAWS IT HAS NOT BEEN POSSIBLE TO AGREE TO RETAIN THE PRESENT

TITLE QUOTE CITIZEN OF THE UK AND COLONIES UNQUOTE OR SOMETHING

CLOSELY RESEMBLING THIS. THE WHITE PAPER WILL SUGGEST THE TITLE

QUOTE CITIZEN OF THE BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES UNQUOTE AS

THE STATUS FOR BELONGERS OF ALL DEPENDENT TERRITORIES, BUT THE

WORDING OF THE SECTION OF THE WHITE PAPER WILL INDICATE THAT THE

GOVERNMENT ARE PREPARED TO CONSIDER ALTERNATIVES:

(F) INDIVIDUAL CITIZENSHIPS FOR THE DEPENDENT TERRITORIES OR

TITLES SUGGESTING THEM ARE NOT POSSIBLE (BECAUSE OF PROBLEMS

WITH E.G. CHINA) BUT DEPENDENCY PASSPORTS WILL CONTINUE

CLEARLY TO IDENTIFY THE HOLDER WITH HONG KONG.

(G) THE WHITE PAPER WILL SAY THAT THE CHANGE IN CITIZENSHIP

TITLE FOR THE DEPENDENCIES IN NO WAY ALTERS THE RELATIONSHIP

BETWEEN THOSE DEPENDENCIES AND THE UK NOR HMG'S COMMITMENT TO

THE DEPENDENCIES.

(H)

HONG KONG AND MEMBERS OF EXCO HAVE BEEN GIVEN UNIQUE

TREATMENT BY WAY OF CONSULTATION AND BRIEFING: THIS MAKES IT

ESSENTIAL FOR THEM TO MAINTAIN STRICT CONFIDENTIALITY BEFORE THE

WHITE PAPER IS PUBLISHED.

4. WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO CONVEY TO EXCO THAT IF THEY

WISH TO PROPOSE AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE TITLE THAT APPEARS IN THE

WHITE PAPER THEY NEED TO STAY WITHIN THE LIMITS IMPOSED.

SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT TITLES WHICH HAVE BEEN MENTIONED IN

EXCHANGES SO FAR HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED AND HAD TO BE REJECTED.

CARRINGTON

FILES

HK & GD

NTD

MR ADAMS

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