TNAG-1040-FCO40-1290-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1981 — Page 154

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OO HONG KONG DESKBY 300100Z

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BY IN REGISTRY NO. 39 OCT1981

ESK OFFICER

PA

FM FCO 291730Z OCT 81

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 832 OF 29 OCTOBER

REPEATED IMMEDIATE PEKING

PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM DONALD

NATIONALITY BILL

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1. YOU WILL BE RECEIVING SEPARATELY A TELEGRAM FROM THE LORD PRIVY SEAL REPLYING TO YOUR TELEGRAMS NUMBERS 973 AND 974. I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR ME TO SUPPLEMENT THIS WITH SOME EXPLANATION OF WHY WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO BE MORE PRECISE IN

THE HOME SECRETARY'S ANSWER TO PAUL BRYAN OVER THE POSITION OF BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZENS IN THE EVENT OF A CHANGE IN HONG KONG'S STATUS.

2. I QUITE APPRECIATE THAT WE ARE CONSIDERING A VERY DIFFERENT POSITION OVER HONG KONG FROM THAT OF MOST OTHER DEPENDENCIES BECAUSE REVERSION TO CHINA AND NOT INDEPENDENCE IS THE ALTERNATIVE TO BRITISH RULE. BUT OF COURSE THAT MAKES IT EVEN MORE DIFFICULT FOR HMG NOW TO GIVE ANY UNDERTAKINGS ABOUT FUTURE CITIZENSHIP STATUS. INDEED, IF WE TRIED TO DO SO THIS WOULD INEVITABLY MEAN A PRETTY NEGATIVE REPLY WHICH MIGHT NOT ONLY DEPRESS CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG BUT COULD WELL TIE THE HANDS OF A FUTURE BRITISH GOVERNMENT IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH CHINA.

3. I KNOW THAT YOU WILL HAVE TAKEN FULLY INTO ACCOUNT THE WIDER IMPLICATIONS IN TERMS OF, RELATIONS WITH CHINA AND THE PROBLEM OF THE FUTURE. I REALISE THAT THE LATTER IS NOW A MATTER OF PUBLIC DEBATE AND THAT INDIVIDUALS IN HONG KONG ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR FUTURE POSITION. AS I SEE IT, HOWEVER,

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