L
OO HONG KONG DESKBY 19010OZ
GRS 319
CONFIDENTIAL
DESKBY 190100Z
FM FCO 181445Z MAR 31
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CONFIDENTIAL
HIER JYOTI
RECEIVED WRECKTRY NO. 51 2 3 MAR 1981
BEER OFFICER
INDEX
مد
REGISTAY.
PA
Action Taken
7114.
Plo 314
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 250 OF 18 MARCH
NATIONALITY BILL : PQ
Tee/156
1. MR ALFRED MORRIS (LABOUR) HAS PUT DOWN THE FOLLOWING QUES-
TION FOR WRITTEN ANSWER BY HOME SECRETARY ON 20 MARCH:
QUOTE: WHAT PROCEDURES HE HAS FOLLOWED TO CONSULT THE PEOPLE OF
HONG KONG ON THE PROVISIONS OF THE BRITISH NATIONALITY BILL THAT
AFFECT THEM? IF HE BELIEVES THESE PROVISIONS ARE ACCEPTABLE TO
THE HONG KONG COMMUNITY AND IF HE WILL MAKE A STATEMENT? UNQUOTE. 2. THE QUESTION HAS BEEN TRANSFERRED TO FCO. WE PROPOSE
FOLLOWING ANSWER:
QUOTE: CONSULTATIONS WITH HONG KONG TOOK PLACE THROUGH THE
GOVERNOR BEFORE AND AFTER PUBLICATION OF THE WHITE PAPER, WHICH
WAS WIDELY DISTRIBUTED IN THE TERRITORY, AND ON PRESENTATION OF
THE BILL. A NUMBER OF POINTS HAVE BEEN RAISED BY HONG KONG
WHICH ARE BEING CONSIDERED BY THE GOVERNMENT. OPEN SQUARE
BRACKETS I BELIEVE THAT THE BILL WILL BE GENERALLY ACCEPTABLE
TO HONG KONG CLOSE SQUARE BRACKETS. UNQUOTE.
THE
3. WE KNOW THAT HOME OFFICE OFFICIALS ARE SEEKING LEGAL
DRAFTING OF A CLAUSE, AS DESCRIBED BY THEM AT THE MEETING ON
13 MARCH, WHICH SHOULD BE SATISFACTORY TO YOU IF ACHIEVED.
DRAFT ANSWER REFLECTS OUR BELIEF THAT IT IS NOT IN HONG KONG'S
INTERESTS TO EXCITE SPECULATION, NOW AS TO WHAT IS BEING SOUGHT.
IF, HOWEVER, MINISTERS FELT IT NECESSARY, IN ORDER TO PREVENT
SPECULATION, TO SAY SOMETHING IN THE ANSWER ABOUT THE NATURE OF
THE REPRESENTATIONS FROM HONG KONG, WE WOULD PROPOSE TO ADD THE
FOLLOWING:
QUOTE: THESE MAINLY CONCERN THE CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH A
CITIZEN OF THE DEPENDENT TERRITORIES MIGHT BE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY
FOR BRITISH CITIZENSHIP, FOR EXAMPLE, AFTER RESIDENCE IN THE UK
AND BY VIRTUE OF SERVICE TO THE CROWN. UNQUOTE.
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