TNAG-1085-FCO40-1335-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-the-British-nationa-1981 — Page 57

MKK 34 SECRET

#PELING: 076645Z OCT 81

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NATIONALITY BILL

1. WHILST I CAN UNDERSTAND THE CONSIDERATION IN PARA 2 OF YOUR TUR, I AM AFRAID THAT MY ADVICE MUST REMAIN TO RETAIN THE BRACKETS. THE SAME FACTORS YOU MENTION IN YOUR PARA 2 AS RECOMM ENDING THE REMOVAL OF THE BRACKETS (IE THIS WOULD AVOID ANY

SUGGESTION THAT HONG KONG RESIDENTS WERE BEING ADMITTED TO A

BRANCH OF BRITISH CITIZENSHIP) AS SEEN FROM HERE RAISE THE RISK THAT THE MOVE WOULD APPEAR AS ONE TOWARDS A SEPARATE HONG KONG

"NATIONAL IDENTITY"",

2. IF THE CHINESE DEVELOPED SUCH A MISUNDERSTANDING IT WOULD NOT BE EASY TO CORRECT IT. THE LEGAL ARGUMENT THAT THE DEPENDENCIES WOULD NOT HAVE SEPARATE INDIVIDUAL CITIZENSHIP WOULD NOT ALLAY CHINESE FEARS. THEY WOULD BE CONCERNED MORE WITH THE LOOK OF THE THING THAN WITH LEGAL NICETIES. IF WE POINTED OUT THAT THE NEW DESIGNATION APPLIED TO BRITISH SUBJECTS IN ALL DEPENDENT TERRITORIES, AND WAS NOT AIMED AT HONG KONG, THEY WOULD PROBABLY RETORT THAT HONG KONG WAS A SPECIAL CASE AND THAT IT WAS NOT NECESSARILY APPROPRIATE TO TRAT UONG KONG IN THE SAME WAY AS OTHER DEPENDENT TERRITORIES FOR WHICH PERHAPS INDEPENDENCE IS

NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION.

3. A MISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT THIS MATTER WOULD BE UNFORTUNATE AT THE PRESENT TIME WHEN WE ARE MUCH CONCERNED WITH THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG'S FUTURE, AND THE CHINESE WOULD BE DOUBLY SENSITIVE TO ANY HINT OF SEPARATE STATUS FOR HONG KONG RESIDENTS JUST WHEN CHINA HAS LAUNCHED A NEW INITIATIVE FOR REUNIFICATION WITH TAIWAN,

See 1417

4. I CANNOT OF COURSE STATE CATEGORICALLY THAT IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO ALLAY ANY CHINESE MISGIVINGS AND WE WOULD NATURALLY DO OUR BEST. BUT I SHOULD MUCH PREFER THAT WE SDID NOT RISK CREATING THEM. THIS RISK MAY BE OUTWEIGHED BY THE FAVOURABLE ASPECTS OF THE NEW ARRANGEMENTS (WHICH ARE OUTSIDE MY SCOPE) BUT IT SHOULD BE

RECOGNISED.

CRADOCK

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