TNAG-1086-FCO40-1336-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-the-British-nationa-1981 — Page 62

CONFIDENTIAL

HAR 340/1

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY MO.

3 NOV De

DESK OFFICER,

PA

ĢISTRY PAchon Taken

PS/LPE

INDEX

INO

NATIONALITY BILL: HONG KONG

Drafthoms done,

and is milt

Love Pring Seal

1

take inti asment W. Clif

umpiling

1. I agree that the form of words worked out by officials for Mr Whitelaw is about the best we can make by way of an under- taking or answer to Sir Paul Bryan.

454A

see (454)

2. The Governor has clearly been put on the spot by his Unofficials and it may be that he has sent his suggested questions to Sir Paul Bryan for purely tactical reasons. I suggest that

when the outcome of the debate in the House of Commons is known,

the Lord Privy Seal may care to send a further telegram to the

Governor which Hong Kong Department will be drafting.

3. A point to bear in mind is that the Falkland Islanders

have been at the bottom of the pile in recent weeks. Hong Kong

may point out that Gibraltar appears to have done better than

Hong Kong but there have been no sweeteners for the Falkland

Islanders at all.

4. I heard today that instead of having one omnibus amendment

to the Nationality Bill to take account of Lord Geddes'

amendment (British Dependent Territories Citizen) the Home

Secretary has agreed that he will introduce the 101 separate

amendments covering all references in the Bill. This should at

least please Hong Kong but I doubt if there will be much gratitude for it!

27 October 1981

CONFIDENTIAL

Artmald

A E Donald