TNAG-1086-FCO40-1336-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-the-British-nationa-1981 — Page 181

CONFIDENTIAL

нки 3401/

NO. 51

1981

DESK ORICER

PA

399

мо

ز ماشه

261

84027/10

00 HONG KONG DESKBY 100100Z

GRS 590

CONFIDENTIAL

DESKBY 100100Z

FM FCO 091655Z OCT 81

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 787 OF 9 OCTOBER

PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM LORD PRIVY SEAL

YOUR TELNOS 912 AND 913: NATIONALITY BILL

1400

(398)

1 IT WAS HELPFUL TO HAVE YOUR APPRECIATION OF THE HONG KONG

POSITION. I HAVE INDEED BEEN PRESSING HONG KONG'S CASE STRONGLY

WITH THE HOME SECRETARY AND AM TAKING IT UP AGAIN TODAY.

2. THE PRIMARY AIM OF HMG IS TO REVERSE THE GIBRALTAR AMENDMENT

IF POSSIBLE. THIS WOULD RESTORE THE POSITION TO THAT WHICH HONG

KONG HAD OBTAINED FOLLOWING YOUR VISIT IN MARCH. THE HOME

SECRETARY IS CONCERNED NOT TO JEOPARDISE THE CHANCES OF DEFEATING

THE GIBRALTAR AMENDMENT BY PREMATURE CONCESSIONS TO THE OTHER

See

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DEPENDENT TERRITORIES.

3. AT THE SAME TIME, I HAVE HADE CLEAR TO THE HOME SECRETARY THAT

WE WOULD BE IN A VERY DIFFICULT POSITION IN OUR RELATIONS WITH

HONG KONG IF IN THE EVENT THE GIBRALTAR AMENDEMNT REMAINED ON

THE STATUTE BOOK AND NO COMPENSATORY MEASURES WERE TAKEN TO UNDER-

LINE THE BRITISHNESS' OF HONG KONG AND THE OTHER DEPENDENCIES.

BECAUSE OF THE RISK OF BLURRING THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE

DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF CITIZENSHIP, THE HOME SECRETARY HAS SO FAR

NOT BEEN PREPARED TO CONSIDER A FALL-BACK POSITION. I AM ASKING

HIM NEVERTHELESS TO AGREE TO CONTINGENCY PLANNING FOR AN

ADDITIONAL CLAUSE WHICH WOULD ALLOW THE ALTERNATIVE WORDING

'BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZEN' WITH A FURTHER VARIATION

OF BRITISH (HONG KONG) CITIZEN'.

4. IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, LORD GEDDES' AMENDMENT AND THE

REPRESENTATIONS OF THE UNOFFICIALS REQUIRE VERY CAREFUL HANDLING.

AS YOU APPRECIATE, THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE BOUND TO OPPOSE AN

AMENDMENT ON 'BRITISH NATIONAL LINES AND IT WOULD OBVIOUSLY BE

UNFORTUNATE IF THE UNOFFICIALS BECAME TOO DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN

SUPPORT OF SUCH A PROPOSAL. ON THE OTHER HAND, THERE IS STILL

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HKK340/1 1982

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CONFIDENTIAL

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