TNAG-1086-FCO40-1336-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-the-British-nationa-1981 — Page 126

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4.211.

415

400

OO HONG KONG DESKBY 170100Z

GRS 268

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DESKBY 170100Z

FM FCO 161600Z OCT 81

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 800 OF 16 OCTOBER

PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM LORD PRIVY SEAL

YOUR TELNO 933: NATIONALITY BILL

MICK 34383/44 - 2

RECEIVED ANTRY RD, $1

1.2 OCT1981

DESK OFFICER INDEK

STRY

PA

ction Taken

2160

pas 23/10

See HICK 010/1 (0)

ник

1. THANK YOU FOR THIS ASSESSMENT. I FULLY APPRECIATE YOUR

DIFFICULTIES AND AM GRATEFUL FOR YOUR EFFORTS TO EXPLAIN TO THE

UNOFFICIALS THE POLITICAL CONSTRAINTS AT THIS END.

2.

I AM NOW MAKING ANOTHER APPROACH TO THE HOME SECRETARY

PROPOSING THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD ACCEPT LORD GEDDES' SECOND

AMENDMENT AS A MOVE TO CLARIFY THE STATUS OF PEOPLE IN THE

DEPENDENT TERRITORIES AS A WHOLE. WE ARE PRESSING THE CASE AND

I SHALL OF COURSE LET YOU KNOW AS SOON AS A DECISION IS MADE.

3. WE HAVE CONSIDERED CAREFULLY THE POINTS IN PARAGRAPHS 6 AND

7 OF YOUR TUR. I AM AFRAID THAT THE POSITION REMAINS AS DES-

CRIBED IN FCO TELNO 787. IT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE TO USE THE DESCRIPTION 'BRITISH (HONG KONG)CITIZEN' IN PASSPORTS WITHOUT THIS BEING COVERED IN LEGISLATION.

이에

1982

See (420

See HRn 014/1

I REALISE THAT THIS DOES NOT GO AS FAR AS HONG KONG WOULD

WISH BUT I AM AFRAID THAT IT WOULD BE UNREALISTIC TO EXPECT

.MORE.

AS YOU HAVE EXPLAINED TO THE UNOFFICIALS (YOUR TELNO 940).

THERE IS NO QUESTION OF THEIR HAVING BEEN MISLED. I HAVE ALL

ALONG MADE QUITE CLEAR THAT THERE WAS NO POSSIBILITY OF 'STRIKING

422

427

431

3

1982

A BARGAIN' WITH THEM AND NO GUARANTEE THAT WE COULD DELIVER ANY See #67-345/1

PARTICULAR FALL-BACK.

5. EQUALLY, I AM SURE THE UNOFFICIALS WILL ON REFLECTION

REALISE THAT EVEN IF LORD GEDDES' FIRST AMENDMENT HAD BEEN PASSED

AGAINST GOVERNMENT OPPOSITION, THIS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ANY HELP

TO HONG KONG. THE GOVERNMENT WOULD HAVE HAD TO PURSUE THE

REVERSAL OF SUCH A CLAUSE IN THE COMMONS.

$31

1982

CARRINGTON

.LIMITED

HKGD

NTD

PS

PS/LPS

PS/LORD TREFGARNE

PS/PUS

MR DONALD

MR ADAMS

!

1

CONFIDENTIAL

COPIES TO

MR FORD (PERSONAL)、

HKGO, LONDON

CONFIDENTIAL