TNAG-1086-FCO40-1336-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-the-British-nationa-1981 — Page 60

Mr Clift UKGD

Hick 340 || leve spoken

2 OCT1981

DCSK OFFICER

에서

M.. S

Enlin

*281.0

C.). Houalls 24/10

TRY

INTEX

PA

Action Takan

Mr Walters,

21,

860 29/10

cc

Miss Kippax

Mise Collins Mr Hyde

Mrs Littler

Mr Pakenham-Walsh Mrs Evans

Mr Cole

Mr Howells (FCO)— Mr Ingman

LAST PAPER

BRITISH NATIONALITY BILL: UNDERTAKINGS REQUESTED BY SIR PAUL BRYAN

455

462A

See (463

S of S asked me last night to consider how we should respond to the request for further undertakings requested by Sir Paul Bryan on Hong Kong. The passage of this speech which he sent to Mr Simms seems to be asking for a repeat of earlier undertakings but also for an extension of them. It is not very clear of what this extension consists, but it could be read as applying to British Dependent Territories citizens who have somehow lost touch with the territory concerned ("together with the defined international responsibility of HM Covezancnt for them for life regardless of whether their territory remains on the schedule or not and that the rights of this citizenship will be transmittable to their children").

Clearly our reply must be extremely circumspect, since Sir Feul Bryan's remarks can only as far as I can see be aimed at a possible Chinese take-over of Hong Kong. We cannot give any commitment as to what might or might not happen in that event: it is too hypothetical. The FCO may wish, therefore, to ask Sir Paul Bryan to tone this down a bit but in case he persists I attach a passage for S of S'm use in winding up.

Bl Division

Queen Anne's Gate

MIA.

M J Addison

27 October 1981

A

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