TNAG-1081-FCO40-1331-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-the-British-nationa-1981 — Page 232

HONGATU

GPS 400

UNCLASSIFIED

EM HONG KONG 150750Z FEB 81

TO PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE LONDON TELEGRAM NUMBER 262 OF 16 FEBRUARY

FOR FORD FROM DAVIES NATIONALITY BILL

see 18.

WE HAVE HAD A USEFUL VISIT FROM LYONS AND WHITNEY. THEY HAD A BUSY PROGRAMME OF MEETINGS ON NATIONALITY BUT HAD TIME FOR A HELICOPTER FLIGHT IN NEW TERRITORIES ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON. WHILST

HERE THEY HAVE HAD TWO MEETINGS WITH THE GOVERNOR, TWO OTHER MEETINGS WITH OFFICIALS, AND MEETINGS WITH UMELCO, THE UP BAN COUNCIL, HEUNG VEE KUK, HONG KONG ASSOCIATION HK BRANCH ( COMPRISING FEDERATION OF HK INDUSTRIES, GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND MA), SOME PERSONALITIES AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL AND SEVERAL SOCIAL FUNCTIONS WITH GUESTS REPRESENTATIVE OF VARIOUS SECTIONS OF THE COMMUNITY.

2. WHILST LISTENING TO GENERAL POINTS THEY WERE UNDERSTANDABLY. INTERESTED IN SPECIFIC AMENDMENTS. THEY HAVE BEEN A LITTLE SURPRISED THAT THERE WERE SO FEW AMENDMENTS. WE HAVE GIVEN THEM OUR PROPOSALS REGARDING CROWN SERVICE AND ON NATURALISATION PRIORITY CONTA NED IN OUR TELEGRAM 129 OF 10 FEBRUARY TO FCO REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO YOU.

جانا

3. THEY HAVE ALSO TAKEN NOTE OF THE GENERAL CONCERN AND UNEASINESS HERE AND AS EXPRESSED BY PAUL BRYAN IN HIS SPEECH, THEY ARE ALSO AWARE OF COURSE OF THE ASSURANCES GIVEN BY MR WHITE LAW AND TIM PAISON. THEY HAVE BEEN BRIEFED ON THE NEED FOR THE PASSPORT TO BE AS SIMILAR AS POSSIBLE TO THE EXISTING ONE, THE NEED FOR THE FCO TO ENSURE THAT THIRD COUNTRIES DO NOT USE THE CHANGE TO CBOT TO RESTRICT TRAVEL 3Y HONG KONG PEOPLE AND THE DESIRABILITY OF UK ENTRY CERTIFICATES BEING FOR FIVE YEARS.

4. WE HAVE LEFT THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO RAISE THE ISSUE OF THE TRANSMISSION OF CITIZENSHIP/REGISTRATION OF CHILDREN BORN TO BRITISH CITIZENS OVERSEAS.

5. THEY NOW PROPOSE TO DISCUSS ACTION ON AMENDMENTS WITH OFFICIALS IN THE FCO AND HOME OFFICE. WE HAVE SUGGESTED TO THEM THAT THEY SHOULD KEEP HONG KONG OFFICE INFORMED. WE SEE ADVANTAGE IN YOUR BEING REPRESENTED - SUCH DISCUSSIONS, PROVIDED THIS IS ACCEPTABLE TO TUEN:

6. WE ALSO NEED TO CONSIDER PROCEDURES, TIMETABLE ETC

AN ASSESSMENT OF THE LATTER IS DIFFICULT. FOR INSTANCE LYONS TOLD UMELCO THAT THE BILL MIGHT ONLY BE IN COMMITTEE FOR 3 WEEKS. IT IS OBVIOUSLY ESSENTIAL TO ACHIEVE CLOSE COORDINATION OF ALL ACTION IN RESPECT OF HONG KONG ON THIS BILL AND RAPID ADVICE ON DEVELOPMENTS IN COMMITTEE, ESPECIALLY NOTIFICATION OF AMENDMENTS FOR THE COMMITTEE WHICH MAY HAVE IMPLICATIONS FOR HONG KONG. WILL TELEGRAPH SEPARATELY ON THIS BUT WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR VIEWS ON SYSTEM OF QUICK ADVICE ON ACTUAL EVENTS IN COMMITTEE.

MACLEHOSE

NNNN

TOD 15/1629

M. Willigman B

shy?

ра 123.2

{ fr.

новно