TNAG-1143-FCO40-1423-Hong-Kong-and-the-Falkland-Islands-crisis-1982 — Page 31

DSR 11C

status under current regulations.

The article is

thus misleading when it alleges that 'the Foreign

Office diluted British Citizenship rights of the

Falkland Islanders'. (Indeed, on a point of detail,

vince

nationality law is the problem of the Home Office and

not the Foreign Office).

Apart

There are also a number of factual inaccuracies in

the article. Among these is the exaggeration of

Hong Kong's population - it is 5.1 million, not

6 million. Another is the claim that 'Hong Kong

probably earns $3 billion a year for Britain'.

from a contribution by Hong Kong towards the cost

of maintaining the military garrison, Hong Kong's

revenue from taxes and other levies is dispensed

by the Hong Kong Government according to the

Territory's own needs. If the figure is meant to

relate to trade, British visible exports to Hong Kong

in 1981 were about £600 million but the visible trade

balance is actually in Hong Kong's favour (although

this may be roughly offset by invisibles).

I am grateful for the interest and concern which you

and your friend have shown and have no objection to

your using the comments above on an unattributable

basis.