TNAG-1189-FCO40-1491-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-the-British-nationa-1982 — Page 36

9. Some 1,400 Falkland Islanders will automatically become

BCs (as well as in most cases BDTCs) on 1 January 1983 by

virtue of their connections (by birth, descent, etc) with the

UK. The remaining 400 or so will become BDTCs only. On 8

April these people received a public assurance from the Home

Secretary that they would have no difficulty over admission

to the UK whether or not they had the right of abode. The

only comparable assurance given to future BDTCs in a dependent

territory was that made to Gibraltarians at the time of the

imposition of the Spanish frontier restrictions that they

would be able to freely enter the UK. This is an administra-

tive arrangement without effect on citizenship status.

10. If the 400 BDTC Falkland Islanders were to become BCs,

one of the arguments for parity of treatment of Hong Kong

would be that Hong Kong promptly imposed sanctions on

Argentina, contributed £2 million to the South Atlantic Fund

and lost 6 seamen in the hostilities.

Any amendment favouring

the Falkland Islands only will be open to the allegation

that it is dictated by considerations of race.

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