TNAG-1355-FCO40-1796-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 10

CONFIDENTIAL

ISSUED WITH EFFECT FROM 1 JULY 1987. THIS WILL ENABLE THE PRESENT

PRACTICE OF ISSUING PASSPORTS FOR A TEN-YEAR VALIDITY PERIOD TO CONTINUE WITHOUT INTERRUPTION. IT WILL ALSO GIVE MAXIMUM TIME TO

THIRD COUNTRIES TO GROW ACCUSTOMED TO THE NEW PASSPORTS. THE FORMAT

OF THE BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS) PASSPORTS WILL BE SUCH THAT IT

IS READILY IDENTIFIABLE AS A DOCUMENT ISSUED UNDER THE AUTHORITY

OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAS UNDERTALEN TO

DO ITS UTMOST TO OBTAIN INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION OF THAT PASSPORT.

AND THERE ARE ALREADY ENCOURAGING SIGNS THAT THIS WILL BE ACCORDED.

THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAS ALSO ANNOUNCED THAT IT WILL MALE PROVISION

FOR THE CHILDREN OF FORMER HONG LONG BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES

CITIZENS, AND FOR THEIR GRANDCHILDREN, IF THEY WOULD OTHERWISE BE

STATELESS, TO ACQUIRE BRITISH OVERSEAS CITIZENSHIP.

42. IN FEBRUARY THIS YEAR, DURING THE COMMITTEE STAGE OF THE HONG

TONG BILL IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. THE MINISTER OF STATE SAID THAT

THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WOULD DISCUSS WITH THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES

THE WORDING OF A STATEMENT TO BE INCLUDED IN THE BRITISH NATIONAL

(OVERSEAS) PASSPORT TO SATISFY IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS IN THIRD

COUNTRIES THAT AN INDIVIDUAL HAS THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN HONG |IONG. I AM PLEASED TO REPORT THAT THESE DISCUSSIONS ARE PROCEEDING.

43. A DRAFT ORDER IN COUNCIL ON BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS) STATUS

HAS RECENTLY BEEN PUBLISHED. I URGE ALL THOSE CONCERNED TO PUT FORWARD THEIR VIEWS ON IT. SO THAT THESE CAN BE TAMEN INTO ACCOUNT WHEN IT IS DEBATED IN THIS COUNCIL AND IN PARLIAMENT.''

ENDS..

YOUDE

LIMITED

HKD

FED

MR WILSON

-3- CONFIDENTIAL

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