TNAG-1083-FCO40-1333-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-the-British-nationa-1981 — Page 103

Mr Jones

NTD (CL537)

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HKK 3401

RECEIVED IN ALGISTRY NO. 51 0 7 APR 1981

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

REGISTRY Action Taken

مل

213

1.

We spoke about the article in today's 'Guardian' about the pre-Green Paper working party on the Nationality Legislation.

2.

On re-reading the article and leader I am sure that we must ensure that any statement in Parliament or elsewhere does not give the impression that HMG is avoiding or denying its primary obligation for Hong Kong or its population. I realise that the Government cannot given an undertaking to take floods of people from Hong Kong (or anywhere else) and that it may want to stress the international character of any shift of population on that scale. But nor should it duck the fact that it would have to take the lead in ensuring that the interests of those people were protected. At the same time Hong Kong itself will of course want the hypothetical problem played down and the idea of a Chinese pincer movement countered. All I am arguing is that HMG should not stress so much that it has not a legal obligation that it appears to be avoiding the moral one.

Дир

6 April 1981

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Mr Donald

Mr Adams

R D Clift

Hong Kong and General Department

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