TNAG-1025-FCO40-1275-Visit-by-Lord-Carrington--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-1981 — Page 16

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Original at: HKLI 34011

GRTR55 Copy for:

Information only / Action on

CO RENTIAL

FM HONG KONG 311210Z MAR

CONFIDENTIAL

TO PRIORITY FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE TELEGRAM NUMBER 369 OF 31 MARCH, 1981. FOLLOWING FROM PRIVATE SECRETARY TO S OF S. YOUR TELNO 314; NATIONALITY BILL

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Hic ō2012 (196

RECEIVES A. AOIY NO. 51

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109

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1. AS EXPECTED THIS SUBJECT WAS RAISED AT LORD CARRINGTON'S MEETING WITH UNOFFICIALS THIS MORNING. SIR S Y CHUNG SAID THAT HONG KONG WERE NOT AIMING TO RECOVER LOST GROUND: IN PARTICULAR THEY ACCEPTED THEIR LOSS OF THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN THE U.K. IN 1962. BUT THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE FURTHER EROSION OF THEIR RIGHTS. THE NEW CLAUSE INTRODUCED BY THE GOVERNMENT FOLLOWING THE GOVERNOR'S VISIT TO THE U.K. WAS A BIG STEP FORWARD. BUT THERE WAS ONE MAJOR PROBLEM OUT-

STANDING, THAT OF NOMENCLATURE. HE THEN REPEATED THE CASE FOR USING THE TITLE "BRITISH SUBJECT: CBDT (HONG KONG)'' OR ''BRITISH NATIONA (HONG KONG CITIZEN)''.

2. LORD CARRINGTON SAID THAT THE GOVERNOR HAD PRESSED THE HONG KONG CASE WITH GREAT AUTHORITY AND VIGOUR. IT WAS THROUGH HIS EFFORTS THAT CONCESSIONS HAD BEEN OBTAINED. HE HOPED THAT THE PARTS OF THE BILL WHICH WERE REALLY OBJECTIONABLE TO HONG KONG HAD NOW BEEN REMOVED THROUGH THE NEW CLAUSE WHICH HAD BEEN INTRODUCED. SIR SY CHUNG HAD WARNED HIM PREVIOUSLY THAT HE INTENDED RAISING THE POINT

ON NOMENCLATURE AND HE HAD ARRANGED FOR THE HOME OFFICE TO BE CONSULTED. AS EXPECTED THEY SAW GREAT DIFFICULTIES IN USING THE TERM BRITISH NATIONAL. BUT HE COULD GIVE ASSURANCES ON CERTAIN POINTS WHICH HE HOPED WOULD HELP: THE U.K. WOULD CONTINUE TO SEEK

THE INCLUSION OF DEPENDENCY BELONGERS IN VISA ABOLITION AGREEMENTS SO AS TO AVOID MAKING TRAVEL MORE DIFFICULT FOR CBDT'S: THE HONG KONG PASSPORT WOULD CONTINUE TO HAVE A SIMILAR FORMAT TO THE PRESENT ONE: AND IT WOULD BE OPEN TO HONG KONG TO CHANGE THEIR PASSPORT TO CONFORM WITHE NEW E.C. COMMON PASSPORT WHEN THAT WAS INTRODUCED. LORD CARRINGTON ADDED THAT IF THESE ASSURANCES DID NOT SATISFY HONG KONG THERE WAS VERY LITTLE THAT THE GOVERNOR OR HE PERSONALLY COULD DO TO SECURE FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS. HE WOULD DO HIS BEST BUT HE FRANKLY DID NOT EXPECT THE HOME OFFICE TO BE MOVED ON THE QUESTION OF NOMENCLATURE. CHUNG SUGGESTED THAT

THE DROPPING OF THE PREFIX ''BRITISH SUBJECT'' WAS ONE MORE INDICATION THAT THE BRITISH WERE DISTANCING THEMSELVES FROM HONG KONG. LORD CARRINGTON FIRMLY DENIED THIS. HE WOULD TAKE UP THE MATTER WITH THE HOME OFFICE BUT HE WAS NOT OPTIMISTIC AS TO THE OUTCOME.

MACLEHOSE

LIMITED

HKVGD

PS/MA BLAKER P3/MAL RIDLEY

NTD

PS/MA LUCE

PS

PS|PUS

PS/LPS

SIRE YOUOL MA DONALD

MR ADAMS

CONFIDENTIAL

THIS TELEGRAM WAS NOT

ADVANCED