TNAG-1189-FCO40-1491-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-the-British-nationa-1982 — Page 104

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citizens. These demands were successfully resisted by the

Government but repeated assurances were given by Ministers,

notably by the Home Secretary in the House of Commons on 28

January 1981, that applications for entry to the UK from the

400 or so non-patrial Falklanders would receive sympathetic

consideration (a guarantee of admission was announced later, at

the beginning of the Falklands conflict.) Thus although the

Falkland Islanders used the citizenship immigration issue as a

bargaining point in the sovereignty dispute, they won

major concessions from HMG.

IN 340/1(27)

7 On 13 Januarý 1981, the day before the Bill was presented

lion 30 (1981) to Parliament, Mr Ridley sent a message to Falkland Island

IN 340/1(13)

ex C, Part A lo 13

Councillors thanking them for their co-operation over the Bill

and informing them that HMG would be considering the timing

of future talks with the Argentines. It is probably true to

say that the timing of proposed talks with Argentina did

depend on the outcome of the citizenship question for the

Falklands, but only because the Islanders themselves hela

strong views on this.

Attitudes of Argentines

8 The likely reaction of the Argentines to the provisions of

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