TNAG-1381-FCO40-1829-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-citizenship-1985 — Page 75

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RE

29 JAN 1985

GRS 500

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FM HONG KONG 250715Z JAN 85

TO PRIORITY F C O

TELEGRAM NUMBER 203 OF 25 JANUARY

INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON","

HONG KONG GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES BRUSSELS, WASHINGTON, GENEVA AND CG NEW YORK.

FOR HONG KONG GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES:

HKG/G/87 : SECOND READING DEBATE ON THE HONG KONG BILL: NEW NATIONALITY TITLE.

1. IN OPENING THE HOUSE OF COMMONS SECOND READING DEBATE ON HONG KONG BILL ON 21 JANUARY, SIR GEOFFREY HOWE REFERRED TO THE UNITED KINGDOM MEMORANDUM ASSOCIATED WITH THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION WHICH PROVIDED FOR BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZENS OF HONG KONG TO RETAIN AN APPROPRIATE STATUS AFTER 30 JUNE 1997 WHICH WILL ENABLE THEM TO CONTINUE TO USE PASSPORTS ISSUED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF UNITED KINGDOM. SIR GEOFFREY HOWE ANNOUNCED THAT THE PROPOSED TITLE OF THE NEW FORM OF NATIONALITY WOULD BE BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS)''. THIS TITLE HAS BEEN CHOSEN FROM A NUMBER OF OPTIONS AFTER CONSULTATIONS WITH THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL. RIGHTS TO BE ENJOYED BY HOLDERS OF THE PROPOSED NEW STATUS OF BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS)'' ARE SUBJECT TO PARLIAMENTARY APPROVAL BUT HMG'S INTENTION IS THAT THEY SHOULD BE BROADLY THE SAME AS THOSE ENJOYED BY BDTCS, EXCEPT FOR TRANSMISSIBILITY.

2. IF ASKED ABOUT THE BACKGROUND AGAINST WHICH THE TITLE BN (0) HAS BEEN CHOSEN, YOU SHOULD DRAW ON THE FOLLOWING:

(A) FIRST, THE STATUS TO BE ACQUIRED AND RETAINED UNDER THE TERMS OF THE UK MEMORANDUM IS A NEW FORM OF BRITISH NATIONALITY. THE TITLE MUST THEREFORE BE DIFFERENT FROM ANY OF THOSE CURRENTLY PROVIDED FOR IN THE BRITISH NATIONALITY ACT 1991. THESE EXISTING TITLES ARE : BRITISH CITIZEN: BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZEN: BRITISH OVERSEAS CITIZEN: BRITISH SUBJECT AND BRITISH PROTECTED PERSON.

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