TNAG-1085-FCO40-1335-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-the-British-nationa-1981 — Page 80

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PP PEKING

.GRS 211

CONFIDENTI AL

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO 281600 SEPT 81

TO PRIORITY PEKING

TELEGRAM NUMBER 420 OF 28 SEPTEMBER

29382

1

нки 34011

RECSİVED IN ROMETRY 10, 51

- 1 OCT 1981

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

RÉSUMY

Action Take

مسن

1114.00

Pas istio

(378)

INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG (PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR)

YOUR TELNO 187: BRITISH NATIONALITY BILL: CITIZENSHIP TITLE

FOR DEPENDENT TERRITORIES

1. AS YOU KNOW, THE HOUSE OF LORDS IN COMMITTEE PASSED AN

AMENDMENT TO THE BRITISH NATIONALITY BILL WHICH WOULD GIVE

PEOPLE IN GIBRALTAR THE RIGHT TO ACQUIRE BRITISH CITIZENSHIP.

HMG ARE OPPOSED TO THIS AND WILL SEEK TO REVERSE IT. HOWEVER,

IF THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE IT MAY BE NECESSARY TO INCLUDE IN THE

BIEL AN ALTERNATIVE DESIGNATION FOR CITIZENS OF BRITISH

DEPENDENT TERRITORIES (CBDTS). THE LIKELY FORMULA WOULD BE

'BRITISH (HONG KONG/BERMUDA/ETC) CITIZEN'. THE BRACKETS ROUND

THE NAME OF THE TERRITORY MIGHT BE OMITTED.

1

2. WE REALISE THAT YOU HAVE EXPRESSED RESERVATIONS ABOUT

DESIGNATIONS ON THESE LINES IN THE PAST BECAUSE OF POSSIBLE

CHINESE SENSITIVITIES. WE HOPE, HOWEVER, THAT IT WOULD BE

POSSIBLE TO EXPLAIN THAT THE DESIGNATION WAS SIMPLY INTRODUCED

FOR THE SAKE OF CLARITY AND CONTAINED NO IMPLICATION OF THE

ESTABLISHMENT OF A SEPARATE CITIZENSHIP FOR HONG KONG. THE -

CITIZENSHIP CATEGORY OF ALL THOSE CONCERNED WOULD REMAIN CBDT..

3. GRATEFUL FOR YOUR COMMENTS DESKBY 010830Z. REPETITION TO

HONG KONG MUST BE PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR.

CARRINGTON

See (384

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-HK & GD

NTD SED SAM D WIAD

PS

PS/LPS

PS/LORD TREFGARNE

MR DONALD

MR ADAM

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CONFIDENTIAL

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