CONFIDENTIAL
3. THIS LED TO A REVELATION SY MISS DUNN OF WHAT APPEARS TO HAVE SEEN THE MAIN THING WHICH HAS BEEN WORRYING (NEXT TWO WORDS UNDERLINED) EXCO UNOFFICIALS AND WHICH MIGHT HELP EXPLAIN THE STRENGTH OF THEIR OPPOSITION TO THE INCLUSION OF NATIONALITY PROVISIONS IN THE HONG KONG BILL. THEY WERE AFRAID THAT THE ORDER-IN-COUNCIL ROUTE WOULD RESULT IN CHANGES TO THE NATIONALITY LAW, AS IT AFFECTS HONG KONG BDTC'S, BEING MADE IN BITS AND PEICES SO THAT THE OVERALL IMPACT OF THE PACKAGE COULD BE RENDERED INVISIBLE. IN THEIR VIEW, NATIONALITY WAS SUCH AN IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR HONG KONG THAT ALL THE NECESSARY CHANGES MUST BE DEALT WITH IN ONE COMPREHENSIVE PACKAGE, AND IN A FULL-SCALE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE.
5. IT WAS ALSO CLEAR FROM THE DISCUSSION THAT MOST UNOFFICIALS WERE KEEN TO RETAIN THE TITLE BDTC UNTIL THE LAST POSSIBLE MOMENT.
7. THE CS MERELY ACKNOWLEDGED UNOFFICIALS' VIEWS AND DID NOT PROMISE ANY SPECIFIC ACTION.
YOUDE
HONG KONG AGREEMENT
LIMITED
HD/HKD
HD/FED
HD/PLANNING STAFF
HD/PUSD
DEP HD/PUSD
RESEARCH DEPT (MR WALKER) PS
PS/MR LUCE
PS/PUS
SIR W HARDING
MR WILSON
SIR J FREELAND
COPIES TO: (VIA ADR)
MR ROBERTS, NEWS DEPT
MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS
MR BURROWS, LEGAL ADVISERS
MR MARTIN, ASST STAFF CABINET
OFFICE
MR CARTLEDGE, CABINET OFFICE KR COLVIN, CABINET OFFICE SIR P CRADOCK, NO 10 DOWNING ST
MR J CROWLEY, PUSD
CONFIDENTIAL
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