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WE
CHINA ON THE FUTURE. (YOUR LETTER OF 30 DECEMBER PROPOSING SOME
ASSURANCE BASED ON PARAGRAPH 70 OF THE WHITE PAPER, INCIDENTALLY,
ARRIVED AFTER THE DRAFT BILL HAD ACTUALLY BEEN PUT IN FINAL FORM).
I AM GLAD AT LEAST THAT THE DEBATE RESULTED IN AN UNDERTAKING
BY MR RAISON THAT SCHEDULE 1 WOULD BE EXAMINED IN COMMITTEE.
MAY BE ABLE TO GET AN AMENDMENT TO THE SCHEDULE PROVIDING FOR
LOCALLY-ENGAGED CROWN SERVANTS IN DEPENDENT TERRITORIES TO SET
THEIR YEARS OF SERVICE AGAINST THE RESIDENCE REQUIREMENT UNDER
PARAGRAPH 1(2). ADMITTEDLY THEY WOULD STILL HAVE TO OBTAIN ENTRY
TO THE UNITED KINGDOM, BUT ONCE HERE THEY WOULD HAVE TO WAIT LESS
TIME FOR NATURALISATION.
5. I HAVE DISCUSSED WITH JAMES ADAMS HOW FAR WE COULD
RECOMMEND TO MINISTERS THAT THEY SHOULD MAKE STRONG
REPRESENTATIONS TO THE HOME OFFICE TO AMEND PARAGRAPH 1(3) SO AS
NOT TO EXCLUDE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT SERVANTS. I FULLY APPRECIATE
THE IMPORTANCE FROM YOUR POINT OF VIEW OF BEING ABLE TO REASSURE
THE UNOFFICIALS THAT HONG KONG'S POSITION IS WELL UNDERSTOOD NOT
ONLY IN THE FCO BUT IN THE HOME OFFICE, BUT THERE ARE SERIOUS
POLITICAL DIFFICULTIES AND I COULD NOT GUARANTEE THAT MINISTERS
WOULD BE PREPARED TO PRESS THE CASE A L'OUTRANCE WITH CABINET
COLLEAGUES.
6. I AM INCLINED TO THINK THEREFORE THAT WE MIGHT BEGIN BY
GETTING CLOSER TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER. PRESUMABLY WHAT
WORRIES CIVIL SERVANTS AND UNOFFICIALS IS THAT THE UNITED KINGDOM
WOULD ACTUALLY TURN ITS FACE AGAINST THEM IN AN EMERGENCY. THEY
SEE THE UNITED KINGDOM AS THE ULTIMATE SAFE HAVEN IF THINGS GO
SERIOUSLY WRONG. WHAT IS AT STAKE IS A COMBINATION OF RIGHT OF
ENTRY TO THE UNITED KINGDOM AND THE HOPE OF BEING ABLE TO STAY
PERMANENTLY THERE.
7.
COULD WE NOT WORK ALONG TWO LINES:
A) TO SEEK TO GET THE BILL AMENDED SUFFICIENTLY FOR CROWN
SERVICE IN HONG KONG TO COUNT TOWARDS THE RESIDENCE QUALI-
FICATION FOR NATURALISATION: AND
B) TO AIM TOWARDS A CONFIDENTIAL ASSURANCE FROM MINISTERS
RELATED NOT TO CITIZENSHIP BUT TO THE RIGHT OF ENTRY TO
THE UNITED KINGDOM FOR CERTAIN GROUPS. EVEN THEN, SUCH
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