TNAG-1188-FCO40-1490-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-the-British-nationa-1982 — Page 148

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INDER

CONFIDENTIAL

AFI113!

SIR EDWARD YOURE'S CALL ON MR TIMOTHY RATSON, MD, MINISTER OF STATE, HOME OFFICE : 17 FEBRUARY 1982

Present:

Sir Edward Youde KCMG MBE

Sir Jack Cater KBE

Mr R D Clift

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Pare(ss)

Mr Timothy Raison MP Mr Wilfred Hyde Miss Sarah Kippax

Nationality Act

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تولید

Sir E Youde said that although the Nationality Act had become law the issue would remain a sensitive one in Hong Kong. It was important to ensure that any consequential matters, such as the treatment of individual cases for registration as British Citizens were dealt with fairly. Mr Raison said that he thought that Hong Kong had in general been given very generous treatment.

So far as registration is concerned, it was a matter of entitlement and the law would have to be followed. Sir E Youde and Sir J Cater pointed out that there might be problems of detail and inter- pretation, for instance the exact time which a person had been resident in the UK or absent from it. Hong Kong had been assured by successive Governments that the new Act would not affect the existing rights of people in Hong Kong and it was important that this should be seen to be the case.

2. Mr Raison pointed out the additional concession which had been made to Hong Kong over Crown Servants. He emphasised the importance of legislation in Hong Kong to allow right of abode for existing CUKCS. The Government was concerned that no CUKC should end up without a home base. He said that in his view the fact that the passport held by BDTCS would have the same appearance as before was important. Sir J Cater said that the wording inside the passport was also important. Mr Raison commented that passports were primarily a matter for the FCO. Sir E Youde said that the problem was that in the view of the FCO Legal Advisers it was not possible to use a different designation in the passport from that in the legislation.

Vietnamese Refugees

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Sir E Youde said that Vietnamese refugees would be a tinuing problem for the Hong Kong Government. He pointed out the importance of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) persuading resettlement countries to continue their offtake from Hong Kong. Even if the present rate of inflow into the Territory continued, there would still be a problem and it would of course get worse if many more refugees left Vietnam. He was not suggesting action now but the position must be watched carefully.

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CONFIDENTIAL