TNAG-1084-FCO40-1334-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-the-British-nationa-1981 — Page 169

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FM HONG KONG 2011307 MAY 81

TO IMMEDIATE F C O

TELEGRAM NUMBER 511 OF 20 MAY

INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDO

FOR DONALD

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FROM GOVERNOR

MY TELNO 494: NATIONALITY BILL

Alek 34011

RECEIVED ON RIMSTAY NO. 51 ? 6 MAY 1981

DESK OLACER

INDEX

مسر

PA

REGISTRY Action Taken

PGO 3/6

I HAD A FURTHER HAMMERING IN EXCO YESTERDAY WITH SIR

S Y CHUNG IN THE LEAD. THEY EMPHASISED THAT THEY WERE NOT SEEKING TO REVERSE DECISIONS ABOUT RIGHT OF ENTRY OR ABODE, BUT MERELY TO ESTABLISH THEIR NATIONAL STATUS AS WELL AS THEIR CITIZENSHIP ON THE BASIS OF MR LUCE'S STATEMENT IN COMMITTEE.

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2. I HAVE SINCE HEARD THAT MR WHITELAW HAS REPLIED TO THE S OF S TURNING DOWN THE PROPOSAL FOR A CLAUSE IN THE BILL STATING THAT CBDTS ETC REMAIN BRITISH NATIONALS. AS SOON AS I TELL UMEL CO, AS I AM BOUND TO DO, THERE WILL BE AN OUTBURST, AND I FEAR THEY WILL SEND A DELEGATION TO LONDON WHICH I UNDERSTAND FROM YOUR TELNO 445 MIGHT BE COUNTER PRODUCTIVE. IT WOULD HELP ME TO HEAD THIS OFF IF I CAN SAY YOU HAD REPLIED ASKING THE HOME SECRETARY TO REDUCE AND HOPEFULLY END THE DOUBT AND CONFUSION EXISTING HERE BY:-

(A) REPEATING IN THE HOUSE THE ASSURANCE GIVEN BY MR LUCE IN COMMITTEE ON 28 APRIL THAT CBDTS WOULD REMAIN UK NATIONALS THOUGH WITHOUT RIGHT OF ENTRY AND ABODE IN U K. INCIDENTALLY FROM POINT OF VIEW OF PEOPLE HERE, TO AVOID MISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT RIGHT OF ENTRY INTO THE U K, ''BRITISH NATIONAL'' WOULD SEEM PREFERABLE.

(B) GIVING AN ASSURANCE THAT THIS NATIONAL STATUS WOULD APPEAR IN CBDT PASSPORTS IN ADDITION TO CITIZENSHIP, IF NECESSARY WITH THE QUALIFICATIONS SUGGESTED IN MY TELNO 495. PREFERABLY THE ASSURANCE SHOULD BE GIVEN PUBLICLY IN THE HOUSE SINCE IT WOULD

HAVE MORE IMPACT HERE, BUT IF NECESSARY IT COULD BE CONVEYED

IN A FORMAL DESPATCH TO ME. A SATISFACTORY RESPONSE WOULD END FEARS

HERE, THAT THE NEW CITIZENSHIP AND OMISSION OF **BRITISH SUBJECT'’ AS THE NATIONAL STATUS IN PASSPORTS WOULD REMOVE THEIR PREVIOUS BRITISH NATIONALITY, AND PRODUCE PROBLEMS FOR CBDT TRAVELLERS IN THIRD COUNTRIES.

3. IF WE ARE TO MAINTAIN THE CREDIBILITY OF MINISTERS REASSURANCE THAT LINKS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND THE U.X. ARE NOT BEING WEAKENED,

CONFIDENTIAL

/ IT IS ESSENTIAL

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