TNAG-1080-FCO40-1330-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-the-British-nationa-1981 — Page 71

35

79)

J

Mr Donald

HKK

340/1

RECEIVED IN SASTRY NO. 51

9 FEB 1981

SECRET

Sir E. Youde

C

REGISTRYK Action Takarí

7

flow 815

DESK OFFICER INDEX

PA

Youd

Private Secretary

43

fo

everary of State

HONG KONG ATTITUDE TO NEW NATIONALITY LEGISLATION

1.

To issue

RusL

At his meeting on 2 February with Sir S Y Chung and

Mr O V Cheung, the Secretary of State said that he would write

to the Home Secretary about Hong Kong's concerns over the new

nationality legislation (record attached)39A

I submit a draft.

2.

4/mi

See (48

This concentrates on the idea of a

52

+653A

change to the Bill. I am sure it is right to put this to the

Home Secretary on its own at this stage, since Sir M MacLehose

places importance on a solution on these lines. It will, however,

be difficult to convince the Home Office of the need for changes

in legislation. In official discussions we may therefore have

to consider the alternative of a declaration which would reassure

public servants in Hong Kong that they would be looked after.

NTD and Mr Adams agree.

3.

+50

In anticipation of the Home Secretary's agreement to official

talks on the subject, I suggest that you should hold a meeting,

at which Mr Adams and Mr Rushford, as well as NTD and HKGD, could

discuss the line to take. I will minute separately suggesting

options for discussion.

3 February 1981

сс

Sir E Youde

Mr Adams

Mr Jones, NTD

Flip

R D Clift

Hong Kong and General Department

Mr Rushford, Legal Advisers

I discussed this fully with

SECRET

/Mr.