TNAG-1192-FCO40-1494-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-the-British-nationa-1982 — Page 97

Mr. Lt 829/10

(1) Mr. Clife will give Governer

' phone on 1/11/82.

sitres by phone

(2) N. Donald will be having a

with NTD, MUD, LAS THO

mig carly question

GR 200

(3)

Ra.

No meme

next week re

CONFIDENTIAL

29/10

or a

-HKK 340||

RECOVER

TA ST

186

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG 280440Z OCT 82

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1236 OF 28 OCTOBER

INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON

NOMENCLATURE IN PASSPORTS.

INDEX

PA

1. AS A RESULT OF THE SENIOR UNOFFICIAL'S VISIT TO LONDON, DURING WHICH HE RAISED THE ISSUE WITH LORD BELSTEAD, AND THE LAYING OF THE NEW IMMIGRATION RULES IN PARLIAMENT (COI RETRACT 54) THE ISSUE OF THE DESCRIPTION OF NATIONALITY TO BE USED IN THE PASSPORTS OF HONG KONG BDTCS HAS ASSUMED RENEWED PROMINENCE IN THE MINDS OF UNOFFICIALS. IT WAS RAISED AGAIN AT EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ON OCTOBER 25 AND IN UMELCO AND LEGCO YESTERDAY (MY IFT CONTAINS AN EXTRACT FROM A SPEECH BY AN UNOFFICIAL MEMBER). 2. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT AS THE SENIOR UNOFFICIAL TOLD LORD BELSTEAD, THIS ISSUE HAS BECOME A SYMBOL OF THE BRITISH COMMITMENT TO HONG KONG: AND THAT IF THE STRONG REPRESENTATIONS MADE FROM HONG KONG ARE REJECTED THERE WILL BE A SERIOUS REACTION HERE.

3. YOU WILL ALREADY BE AWARE THAT UNOFFICIALS ASKED FOR POSTPONEMENT OF THE INTRODUCTION OF THE IMMIGRATION (AMENDMENT) BILL UNTIL THEY HAVE A REPLY ON THIS ISSUE. (MY TELNO 1111) AND SIR S Y CHUNG REPEATED TO LORD BELSTEAD THAT IF THE REPLY WAS UNFAVOURABLE IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO SUPPORT THE BILL. WE SHALL NEED TO ISSUE THE EXCO PAPER BY 11 NOVEMBER AT THE LATEST IF THE BILL IS TO PASS LEGCO BY 31 DECEMBER (DAVIES'

7 -LETTER TO CLIFT OF 18 OCTOBER): AND I SHALL NEED TO GIVE EXCO SOME SORT OF PROGRESS REPORT ON NOVEMBER 2.1 VERY MUCH HOPE THEREFORE THAT A FAVOURABLE RESPONSE WILL SOON BE FORTHCOMING.

YOUDE

LIMITED

NTD

HK+GD

PS/ HR RIFKIND

PS/ LORD BELSTEAD

CHIEF CLERK MR GIFFARD

LORD NG-LENNOX HR DONALD

COPIGS TO!-

HONG KONG

THIS TELEGRAM

WAS NOT ADVANCED

CONFIDENTIAL

144

GOUT. OFFICE

LONDON

Af2910

see

!

8

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