CONFIDENTIAL
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b) that CUKCS should not be deprived of Citizenship of the
United Kingdom and therefore should be British Citizens
(Hong Kong) under new Nationality Act (2 at Annex c).
3. The latter demand is clearly unacceptable as it would cut
across the whole concept of the Nationality Bill, as would the
requests concerning wives and CBDTs generally (3 and 4 at Annex C).
No way that Home Secretary could be persuaded to accept these.
It is important therefore that the Unofficials be convinced of
this as soon as possible.
Possible Concessions
4.
Officials have had two meetings with the Home Office to see
what can be done to meet Hong Kong's anxieties. A number of ideas
have been explored but none of them commends itself to the
Home Office because the narrow aims of the Bill and the level of
opposition in the House and elsewhere limit the Home Secretary's
room for manoeuvre.
5
We have made thepoint forcibly to the Home Office that nothing
short of some visible amendment to the Bill will help the Governor
in dealing with the problem in Hong Kong. The Home Office are
sympathetic but see problems about finding a defensible formula.
6. We have agreed with the Home Office not to attempt to reach any
decisions on likely amendments until Sir M MacLehose has made his
case to Lord Carrington and to Mr Whitelaw. But ideas which are
on the table with the Home Office and have not been rejected
include:
a) whether the Bill could be amended to preserve the present
position whereby CUKCs from dependencies who have resided
in the UK for 5 years are entitled to British Citizenship
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