TNAG-1080-FCO40-1330-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-the-British-nationa-1981 — Page 75

33

PP HONG KONG

GRS 326

SECRET

FM FCO 021745Z FEB 81

TO PRIORITY HONG KONG

Tor COPY

SECRET

HKCK 340|1

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51

03 FER1981

DEAK OFFICER

REGISTRY

INDEX

PA

Action Taken

Mis

J.2.

Pine 17~

5022

1

TELEGRAM NUMBER 98 OF 2 FEBRUARY

YOUR TELNO 92: NEW NATIONALITY LEGISLATION

See 154

1. SIR S Y CHUNG AND MR CHEUNG SPOKE ON GENERAL LINES OF BRIEF. IN ADDITION THEY STRESSED THE NEED FOR A SPECIAL ARRANGE- MENT TO MEET HONG KONG'S CIRCUMSTANCES, ANALOGOUS TO THE UNDER- TAKINGS TO THE FALKLAND ISLANDS AND GIBRALTAR.

2.

SIR S Y CHUNG DREW ATTENTION TO THE LIKELY EFFECT OF THE NATIONALITY BILL ON THE ATTITUDE OF THE HONG KONG POPULATION AS A WHOLE IN A POSSIBLE FUTURE CRISIS WITH CHINA. DOUBTS ABOUT LOYALTY WOULD BE INEVITABLE. SOME FORM OF REASSURANCE WAS NECESSARY, PREFERABLY THROUGH THE NATURALISATION PROVISIONS OF

THE BILL.

HE

3. CHEUNG EMPHASISED THE PROBLEM OF CROWN SERVANTS. SUGGESTED ENABLING LEGISLATION WHICH WOULD NOT EXCLUDE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT SERVANTS FROM NATURALISATION AND WOULD ALLOW THE HOME SECRETARY TO USE HIS DISCRETION TO TAKE SERVICE TO THE CROWN IN A DEPENDENT TERRITORYIINTO CONSIDERATION PROVIDED THAT THE

SUCH LEGISLATION APPLICANT MET THE OTHER NECESSARY CRITERIA.

COULD BE WORDED ON A CONTINGENCY BASIS TO BE USED IF THE NEED

AROSE.

4.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE EXPLAINED THE COMPLICATIONS OF THE NATIONALITY ISSUE. HE EXPRESSED CONSIDERABLE SYMPATHY, PARTI- CULARLY ON THE CROWN SERVANTS PROBLEM, AND UNDERTOOK TO WRITE TO THE HOME SECRETARY BEFORE THE UNOFFICIALS' MEETING WITH

MR WHITELAW ON 6 FEBRUARY. THE MATTER WAS OF COURSE MAINLY FOR MR WHITELAW WHO COULD NOT BE EXPECTED TO GIVE ANY FIRM ANSWERS BY THE END OF THE WEEK. BUT LORD CARRINGTON RECOGNISED THE NEED FOR REASSURANCE AND UNDERSTOOD HONG KONG'S WISH FOR AMENDMENTS

1

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