TNAG-1084-FCO40-1334-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-the-British-nationa-1981 — Page 175

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RELATED MOTORY NO. 51 2 6 MAY 1981

Mr Adams

INDEX

cc PS/Mr Luce

مد

SK OFICER

PA

REGISTRY

Action ANDENTIAL

MDA 18 3/6

As

you

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See (265

we

know, M-Luce, and I think all us, think that something on there lines must go e Governor soon. Indeed the telegove nor pranses portly submitted to M-Luce fur Site latter briefing

tte

noterial on there lives

Zover prouser

Can we discuss whe

Jayes

HONG KONG: BRIEFING MATERIAL FOR THE GOVERNOR

1.

(WTA)

send it please

Your minute of 12 May and Mr Rickerd's minute of 13 May I attach a draft which incorporates most of the points made in these two minutes with some relatively minor variations.

2. It includes in paragraph 4 the essential argument against using the term 'national' which is at the heart of the Home Secretary's minute. Without that explanation I do not think that any briefing in Hong Kong will serve the purpose. The argument in paragraph 5 is also fully valid, though it was not mentioned by the Home Secretary.

(202

15/5

года

Тауже

but one

Must

агние

3. I have seen nothing in the telegrams from Hong Kong which suggests that the Governor used these arguments with the Unofficials. The telegrams which we drafted earlier conveying these arguments were suspended when the Governor proposed the introduction of a clause about nationals. The material which the Governor said (his tel No. 494 of 12 May) he had drawn on was [Hong Kong Government Office] tel No. 442, but as I understand it from HKGD point (A) was so vague as to carry no conviction and point (C) was either irrelevant or untrue (it suggested, I understand, that a Government objects to introducing the new clause now since the guillotine would not allow adequate time for its discussion).

(25)

4. Incidentally I see from the submission from HKGD today (para 8) that they find 'the political case' for returning to the charge with Mr Whitelaw is overwhelming. If there has been a more political case in domestic politics (except possibly for the EC) than the one made by Mr Whitelaw in the last 13 years I failed to notice it.

14 May 1981

W Jones

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best!

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dal

enitted to this view

Nationality and Treaty Department

CONFIDENTIAL