TNAG-1381-FCO40-1829-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-citizenship-1985 — Page 223

DD 050100 HONG KONG

GRS 528

CONFIDENTIAL

DESKBY 05010OZ

FM FCO 041315Z JANUARY 85

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

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KUKE 040/4

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RECEIVED I

- 7 JAN 198:

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TELEGRAM NUMBER 25 OF 4 JANUARY

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

YOUR TELNO 25: HONG KONG AGREEMENT: NEW NATIONALITY TITLE

1.

I AGREE THAT YOU SHOULD PROCEED AS PROPOSED IN PARA 2 OF TUR, SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:

A) WE HOPE YOU WILL MAKE IT CLEAR TO THE COUNCIL THAT MINISTERS ARE ANXIOUS TO REACH AN EARLY DECISION ON A NATIONALITY TITLE WHICH IS ACCEPTABLE TO ALL PARTIES CONCERNED. YOU SHOULD URGE THE COUNCIL, IF IT CANNOT AGREE TO THE ALTERNATIVES ON THE TABLE, TO PUT FORWARD PROPOSALS OF ITS OWN WHICH WILL MEET THE CRITERIA YOU HAVE LISTED. IF A TITLE DOES NOT APPEAR IN THE HONG KONG BILL AS PRESENTED TO THE HOUSE, IT WILL BE APPARARENT THAT NONE HAS BEEN AGREED. IN TERMS OF RELATIONS WITH PARLIAMENT, MINISTERS CONSIDER IT VERY IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO TELL PARLIAMENT IN DISCUSSION OF THE

HONG KONG BILL WHAT TITLE HAS BEEN DECIDED. THEY SEE ADVANTAGE IN INCORPORATING THAT FITLE INTO THE BILL ITSELF IF

THIS CAN BE DONE DURING THE BILL'S PASSAGE.

B)

IF EXCO ARE UNWILLING TO COME TO A CONCLUSION, YOU MAY CERTAINLY SAY THAT THE ISSUE WILL NEED FURTHER CONSIDERATION. BUT YOU SHOULD NOT/NOT GIVE EXCO AND REASON TO CONCLUDE THAT

OR MINISTERS' CONSIDERATION WILL NECESSARILY BE PRO TRACTED, THAT IT WILL AMOUNT TO ACCEPTANCE THAT THE ISSUE CAN BE ALLOWED TO DRAG ON WITHOUT RESOLUTION DURING PASSAGE OF THE BILL. THAT SAID, I ENTIRELY TAKE YOUR POINT THAT PUBLIC LOBBYING BY UMECCO AGAINST A TITLE COULD SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLICATE PASSAGE

OF THE BILL.

2. FOR YOUR OWN INFORMATION, WE ARE SURPRISED THAT SOME MEMBERS SEEM PREPARED TO CONTEMPLATE 'BRITISH OVERSEAS CITIZEN', BUT WE WOULD NOT OBJECT TO THAT SOLUTION OURSELVES. THERE IS PRACTICAL

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