TNAG-1081-FCO40-1331-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-the-British-nationa-1981 — Page 144

CONFIDENTIAL

:

13. IN SEEKING A SOLUTION WHICH WILL PRESERVE HONG KONG'S EXISTING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE UNITED KINGDOM, IT IS CLEAR THAT HONG KONG IS DIFFERENT FROM MOST OTHER BRITISH DEPENDENCIES SINCE IT DOES NOT HAVE THE OPTION, HOWEVER REMOTE, OF INDEPENDENCE AND SELF-DETERMINATION. IT IS HOWEVER UNIQUE IN THE UNPREDICTABILITY AND OTHER CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ONLY SUCCESSOR GOVERNMENT.

14. THE UNITED KINGDOM GOVERNMENT RESISTS THE CONCEPT OF A COMPOSITE

BC CLASS YET ACCEPTS THE VALIDITY OF A COMPOSITE CBDT CLASS. NO EXPLANATION HAS BEEN OFFERED FOR THIS APPARENT ILLOGICALITY,

15. ACCEPTING THAT IT IS NECESSARY TO IDENTIFY THOSE BRITISH SUBJECTS WITH AND WITHOUT A RIGHT OF ABODE IN THE U.K., SEPARATE SUB-CATEGORIES OF BRITISH CITIZENSHIP FOR SEPARATE DEPENDENT TERRITORIES WOULD BE A LOGICAL AND TIDY SOLUTION, I.E. BC (UK), BC (FALKLAND ISLANDS), BC (GIBRALTAR), BC (HK) AND SO ON, THUS SEPARATELY ASSOCIATING ALL EXISTING DEPENDENT TERRITORIES IN PARALLEL WITH THE BC NATIONALITY TITLE. THIS WOULD OBVIATE THE INTRODUCTION OF A TITLE (CBDT) WHICH IMPLIES AN INFERIOR STATUS. WE ASK THAT THIS ALTERNATIVE SOLUTION BE CONSIDERED. IF H.M.G. IS UNABLE TO ACCEPT THE PROPOSAL, WE FEEL THAT SOME CREDIBLE EXPLANATION

SHOULD BE GIVEN.

ENDS

MACLEHOSE

LIMITED

HK&GD

NTD

FED

PS

PS/LPS

PS/MR LUCE

PS/MR BLAKER PS/PUS

SIR E YOUDE

MR DONALD

MR ADAMS

COPIES TO:-

HONG KONG GOVT. OFFICE LONDON

CONFIDENTIAL