TNAG-1381-FCO40-1829-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-citizenship-1985 — Page 138

CONFIDENTIAL

478

BILL, AND I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY THIS MIGHT BE THOUGHT DESIRABLE, THERE WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO IN ANOTHER PLACE. ENDS 3. WE AGREE THAT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR YOU TO BRIEF TRUSTED EDITORS ON THIS SUBJECT, AND ARE CONTENT WITH THE POINTS IN

SECOND TUR.

4.

-

WE CONSIDER, HOWEVER, THAT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF YOU ALSO COVERED THE QUESTIONS OF WHETHER THE CHINESE HAVE AGREED TO THE

NEW TITLE AND WHY NO MORE OBVIOUS TITLE SUCH AS 'BRITISH NATIONAL: HONG KONG' HAS BEEN CHOSEN. WE THEREFORE SUGGEST THAT YOU SAY, ON AN UNATTRIBUTABLE BASIS, THAT THE CHINESE HAVE BEEN INFORMED OF THE NEW TITLE AS A COURTESY AND THAT THEY HAVE NOT RAISED OBJECTION. ON THE SECOND QUESTION IT MIGHT BE BEST TO SAY SIMPLY THAT IT WOULD OBVIOUSLY NOT BE APPROPRIATE TO HAVE A TITLE WHICH IMPLIED A CONSTITUTIONAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN

BRITAIN AND HONG KONG AFTER 1997.

5. WE ARE SENDING THIS FLASH IN CASE YOU RECEIVE ENQUIRIES

DURING THE DEBATE.

1

HOWE

:

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 HARD ING

MR WILSON

SIR J FREELAND

MR J CROWLEY, PUSD

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 MR COLVIN, CABINET OFFICE SIR P CRADOCK, NO 10 DOWNING ST HK GO, LONDON

CONFIDENTIAL