GPS 400
RESTRICTED
FM FCO 30175OZ OCT 81
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
RESTRICTED
TELEGRAM NUMBER 835 OF 30 OCTOBER
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
464
FOR GOVERNOR FROM CLIFT:-
OUR TELNO 833: NATIONALITY ACT
466
(467)
see
HKK OK TOP COPY
HIR 340|1
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51
•2 NOV 1981
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
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REGISTRY
11982)
مثل
1. FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF HOME SECRETARY'S LETTER TO SIR PAUL BRYAN, PROMISED IN TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE:
BEGINS:
PA
Action Taken
23.11
Pasutu
seef 46d
457
IN THE DEBATE ON THE BRITISH NATIONALITY BILL ON 27 OCTOBER I SAID THAT I WOULD WRITE TO YOU ON THE POINTS WHICH YOU RAISED
ABOUT HONG KONG.
MAY I SAY THAT I FULLY UNDERSTAND THE STRENGTH OF FEELING
IN HONG KONG FOR THE BRITISH CONNECTION, WHICH YOU EXPOUNDED SO CLEARLY? I WAS GLAD THAT YOU SAID THAT YOU REALISED THAT ANY
CONCERN IN HONG KONG ABOUT THE BILL WAS PROBABLY BASED ON A MIS- UNDERSTANDING OF THE VERY REAL SENSE OF COMMITMENT TO HONG KONG WHICH THIS GOVERNMENT FEELS. AS YOU KNOW, I HAVE MYSELF UNDERLINED
IN PARLIAMENT THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT COMMITMENT TO HER MAJESTY'S
GOVERNMENT: AND OTHER MINISTERS HAVE FREQUENTLY DONE THE SAME.
THE BRITISH NATIONALITY BILL DOES NOT AFFECT HER MAJESTY'S
GOVERNMENT'S RELATIONSHIP WITH HONG KONG OR THE STRENGTH OF THE
GOVERNMENT'S SUPPORT FOR THAT OR ANY OTHER DEPENDENT TERRITORY.
IN YOUR SPEECH YOU MENTIONED THE UNDERTAKINGS GIVEN BY { TIMOTHY RAISON DURING THE REPORT STAGE OF THE BILL IN THE COMMONS. IT MAY BE HELPFUL TO SPELL THESE OUT AGAIN AND TO CONFIRM THAT BRITISH DEPENDENT TERROTORIES CITIZENS WILL REMAIN UNITED KINGDOM NATIONALS IN THE SENSE THAT THE UNITED KINGDOM WILL AFFORD CONSULAR PROTECTION AND REPRESENT THEIR INTERESTS INTERNATIONALLY. THE GOVERNMENT WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT, AND AS IN THE PAST THEY WILL DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO AVOID BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZENS ENCOUNTERING DIFFICULTIES IN THIRD COUNTRIES, PARTICULARLY OVER IMMIGRATION PROCEDURES.
RESTRICTED
/YOU ALSO
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