Mie12 3401 | CONFIDENTIAL
RECAVID MAY NO. 51
M
? 6 MAY 1981
OLACER
266
INDEX
ملل
PA
REGISTRY
€475.
Action Texas
Pas, 06:
CONFIDENTIAL
11613
1
264
00 HONG KONG DESKBY 2200100Z
GRS 1005
CONFIDENTIAL
DESKBY 220100Z
FM FCO 211900Z MAY 81
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 482 OF 21 MAY
FOR GOVERNOR FROM DONALD
YOUR TELNO 511: NATIONALITY BILL
1.
270
See (1-75-)
See(270
See HIR 204/2 (23) 1981
THE HOME SECRETARY DID INDEED TURN DOWN THE PROPOSAL FOR
A CLAUSE IN THE BILL STATING THAT CBDTS ETC REMAIN BRITISH
NATIONALS BECAUSE HE SAW INSUPERABLE OBJECTIONS. HE POINTED OUT
THAT, AS MR LUCE CONFIRMED IN COMMITTEE, CBDTS WOULD BE BRITISH
NATIONALS IN THAT HMG WOULD REPRESENT THEIR INTERESTS INTER-
NATIONALLY. MR WHITELAW ADDED THAT THERE WAS NO UNANIMITY (EG
AMONG INTERNATIONAL LAWYERS AND AUTHORITIES) ON WHAT OTHER
RIGHTS/OBLIGATIONS EXISTED BETWEEN A STATE AND ITS NATIONALS,
SUCH A PROVISION AS SUGGESTED IN YOUR TELNOS 443 AND 444 WOULD
CAUSE ENORMOUS CONFUSION AND UNDERMINE THE BILL'S MAIN PURPOSE
WHICH IS TO INDICATE WHO BELONGS WHERE. THIS WOULD BE SERIOUSLY
ERODED IF ALL CITIZENSHIPS WERE BROUGHT BACK UNDER ONE UMBRELLA.
2.
FOR YOUR OWN INFORMATION, MR WHITELAW WAS ALSO CONCERNED
THAT SUCH A CLAUSE WOULD RAISE VERY AWKWARD QUESTIONS ABOUT
HMG'S DUTIES TO ITS NATIONALS IF THEY WERE EXPELLED FROM THEIR
COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE. HE BELIEVED SUCH A CLAUSE WOULD COMMIT
HMG TO ALL CONCERNED AND TIE ITS HANDS IN AN EMERGENCY. SUCH
QUESTIONS WERE AWKWARD ENOUGH TO HANDLE ALREADY AND THE PROPOSED
NEW CLAUSE WOULD MAKE THEM ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO DEAL WITH.
3.
MR WHITELAW CONCLUDED BY SAYING THAT HE DID NOT SEE HOW
UMELCO COULD STILL BELIEVE THEY HAD BEEN SOLD DOWN THE RIVER.
THE BILL HAD ALREADY MET THEIR DEMANDS AND IMPROVED THEIR
POSITION OVER PRESENT LAW. IT HAD NOT BEEN SECURED EASILY.
FOLLOWING THE HOME SECRETARY'S MINUTE AND AFTER CAREFUL
CONSIDERATION BY BOTH OFFICIALS AND MINISTERS OF ALL THE
ARGUMENTS WHICH YOU HAVE GIVEN US IN RECENT WEEKS, THE SECRETARY
OF STATE TAKES THE VIEW THAT IT WOULD BE UNWISE TO CONTINUE TO
4.
234
233
255
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