TNAG-1334-FCO40-1766-Future-of-Hong-Kong-legislation-1984 — Page 71

?

CONFEENTIAL

3.

You mentioned on the telephone recently that Hong Kong does

not like the term "registration". We in this office want to use it because it fits the pattern of the British Nationality Act in the context of acquiring the various forms of British nationality as a matter of entitlement and it will be convenient, when we come to prepare the Order in Council, to attract the relevant provisions in that Act relating to registration generally. Whatever the terminology, the scheme has to be in essence as

I have described and, in particular, we would not as I understand it be prepared to contemplate a provision in the Order whereby the new status is expressed to be acquired automatically on possession of

or inclusion in a British passport.

4.

Perhaps I have read more into the opening words of paragraph 2 of your letter than you intended to convey, but I thought it best to reiterate our position lest there should be any misunderstanding.

Yours

eve.

J Pakenham-Walsh

Legal Advisers Branch

CONFIDENTIAL

2