TNAG-1086-FCO40-1336-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-the-British-nationa-1981 — Page 71

450

445

GRS 300

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

M HONG KONG 261215Z OCT 81

10 IMMEDIATE FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 973 OF 26 OCTOBER

HIR 340/1

2 OCT 1981 27

DESK OFPER

INDEX

مل

PA

FRUSTRY Action Taken

दे

Pas 9114

FOR LORD PRIVY SEAL FROM GOVERNOR YOUR TELNO 808: NATIONALITY BILL YOUR PARA 4 CAME AS A SHOCK TO UMELCO SINCE I HAD USED THE GOVERNMENT'S DETERMINATION TO UPSET THIS AMENDMENT IN THE COMMONS

AS AN EXPLANATION OF WHY THEY WERE SO RELUCTANT TO MAKE CONCESSIONS IN THE LORDS. IN CONSEQUENCE THE COOLING OFF PROCESS HAS BEEN SHARPLY REVERSED.

451

2. AT THIS LATE STAGE UMELCO MEMBERS ARE PRINCIPALLY CONCERNED TO ESTABLISH JUST WHAT PRECISELY HMG DOES ACCEPT THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES TO BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZENS TO BE.

THEY ARE PARTICULARLY CONCERNED AT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF HONG KONG CEASED TO BE BRITISH. WOULD THEY THEN BECOME STATELESS IF THEY LEFT HONG KONG AND DID NOT STAY AND PRESUMABLY BECOME CHINESE? AT THEIR REQUEST I HAVE SUGGESTED TO SIR PAUL BRYAN THAT HE INTERVENS

IN THE DEBATE TOMORROW IN THE SENSE OF MY MIFT. See 3. I REALISE HOW IRRITATING THESE INTERVENTIONS BY HONG KONG MUST BE. ON THE OTHER HAND I THINK YOU WILL APPRECIATE HOW MUCH THIS BILL HAS TOUCHED PEOPLE HERE ON THE RAW. I AM DOUBTFUL WHETHER I COULD HAVE PERSUADED THEM THAT SILENCE WAS PREFERABLE. BUT IN ANY CASE I FEEL IT IS MUCH BETTER THAT THESE QUESTIONS WHICH ARE SO MUCH IN MINDS OF MEMBERS AND THE THINKING PUBLIC SHOULD BE ASKED AND ANSWERED TO THE BEST OF THE GOVERNMENT'S ABILITY

IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT IF THE BILL HAD GONE THROUGH MORE QUICKLY AND WITH LESS DRAMA, BUT NOW THESE QUESTIONS ARE OUT IN THE

OPEN ALREADY.

4. I SUGGEST FOR AN ANSWER SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT THAT THE QUESTION PUT COULD ONLY FULLY BE ANSWERED IN THE SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES OF ANY CASE, BUT CERTAINLY, FOR EXAMPLE, SUCH CITIZENS WHO WERE NOT RESIDENT IN THE TERRITORY WOULD HOLD

AND ENJOY THEIR STATUS PLUS RIGHTS INCLUDING THOSE UNDER ARTICLES

16 AND 17 (THE RIGHT TO TRANSMIT TO CHILDREN).

5. I DO NOT THINK AN ANSWER IN THESE TERMS COULD BE PROVOCATIVE TO THE CHINESE SINCE IT WOULD NOT SUGGEST A CONTINUING BRITISH CITIZENSHIP FOR RESIDENTS AFTER A CHINESE TAKE OVER. IT WOULD MEET

THE FEAR OF PEOPLE HERE OF BECOMING STATELESS REFUGEES-OF WHOM

THEY HAVE SEEN SO MANY IN THE LAST TWO YEARS FROM VIETNAM- PROVIDED SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF THE SECOND SENTENCE IS

INCLUDED.

SEE M IF T

MACLEHOSE

see HKK

010/1

(1982)

repeated to Pehing

See 154

459

463

fee also

(220) oh

444 040/1

464

LIMITED

HKJGD

NTD

SAMD

Bu Yu

SED PS

PS/LPS

of 27.00 noted

दिल

27/10

PS/MRLUCE

PS/LORD TREFGARNE PS/PUS

MR DONALD

MR ADAMS

COPIES

то

MS FORD HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON

CONFIDENTIAL