TNAG-1190-FCO40-1492-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-the-British-nationa-1982 — Page 126

SECRET

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

London SW1A 2AH

W N Hyde Esq Home Office

50 Queen Anne's Gate LONDON SW1H 9AT

Dear Hyde,

24 August 1982

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 (BDTs).

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 con- siderable proportions in Hong Kong. It has become caught up with the whole question of the future relationship 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 BDTs the designation of

'British national' would be taken as a sign that we were not acting in the spirit of that commitment, particularly since the reasons for refusing the proposal last autumn were presented to the Executive Council as legal ones. The Prime Minister would come under heavy attack. We at the FCO therefore consider that HMG should accept the Hong Kong view.

We shall need to agree a line with you on this soon as Sir Edward Youde, accompanied by five council members from Hong Kong, will be calling on the Prime Minister in London on Wednesday 8 September. They can be expected to raise the nationality question vigorously. A further consideration in view of the Prime Minsiter's visit to Peking is that the Chinese Government may draw far-reaching conclusions from our public policy on nationality as it affects Hong Kong.

- 1 -

SECRET

/As we shall

시