Mr Adams
CONFIDENTIAL
D:
HKK.340
1 JUL 1980
آیا
INDEX
No
AhizzH
21
NEW NATIONALITY LAW
1.
We spoke about informing the Executive Council in Hong Kong of the state of play. Before you speak to Mr Woodfield, you may find it helpful to see again the personal letter I wrote to the Governor on 20 June. This indicates that we would let the Governor have instructions once Ministerial approval was given to the text of the White Paper, that being a separate exercise from the one in which the Governors of all Dependent Territories will be authorised to tell their local Ministers or Executive Councils about the contents of the White Paper.
2. There are strong arguments for giving Hong Kong special treatment. As the largest dependency, they have shown most concern over the Nationality Law provisions. Members of the Executive Council have made representations directly to Ministers, including the Secretary of State. Tactically I think it would be helpful, to the Home Office as well as to the FCO, if the Hong Kong Executive Council could be given a progress report earlier than the last minute disclosure of the contents of the White Paper.
3. Since the Governor is coming on leave on 11 July, I suggest that he be authorised to make an oral progress report to the Executive Council at the Council Meeting on Tuesday, 9 July. I would hope that this could be on the lines of the last three sentences of paragraph 6 of my letter, although I take the point that the Home Office will not want anything said about disagree- ments between Ministers,
30 June 1980
Brip
R D Clift
Hong Kong and General Department
cc Mr Jones NTD
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