TNAG-1189-FCO40-1491-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-the-British-nationa-1982 — Page 66

DSR 11 (Revised)

DRAFT:

ute/letter/teleletter/despatch notex

TYPE: Draft/Final 1+

Reference

FROM:

Mr White

DEPARTMENT:

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

Top Secret

Secret

Confidential

Restricted

Unclassified

TO:

W N Hyde Esq

Home Office

50 Queen Anne's Gate London SW1H 9AT

TEL. NO:

Your Reference

Copies to:

PRIVACY MARKING

SUBJECT:

1.

..In Confidence

CAVEAT.

Enclosures--flag(s)........

James Addison may have told you about the meeting

he came to when John Griffiths, the Attorney General from

Hong Kong and John Freeland, our second Legal Adviser,

}

discussed the legal basis of the description of nationality

or citizenship entered in the passports of British

Dependent Territories citizens (BDTCs).

2. Sir Edward Youde, the Governor of Hong Kong, has

commented that it would be very hard to explain to his

councillors why 'British national' could not be entered

in Hong Kong passports once the legal obstacle has been

removed as it now has been. The issue has assumed

considerable proportions in Hong Kong. It has become

caught up with the whole question of the future relation-

ship between Hong Kong and China and has a continuing

influence on confidence in Hong Kong. The Prime Minister

as you know is to visit China and Hong Kong in late

September. An important objective of her visit will be

to reassure Hong Kong opinion that HMG's commitment to

the territory remains effective. To deny BDTCs the

/designation