TNAG-1382-FCO40-1830-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-citizenship-1985 — Page 124

након

151

copied to AKKORO/2.

Mr Powell, HKD

CONFIDENTIAL

HKK 040/4

1 MAR 1985

LIA

S COMMITT

HONG KONG: HOUSE OF LORDS COMMITTEE STAGE:

1.

Reference...

ра

Mr Galysty

178

Ihas incorporated & aç

out act 3.

NATIONALITY

Wizst

In the draft speaking notes enclosed with your letter to Mr Emery, Home Office, of 27 February there is a sentence which reads

"No decision has yet been taken on the date of the issue of the new passports, but under the terms of the UK Memorandum they must be issued by 30 June 1997, except in respect of children born in the first half of 1997."

A similar passage appears in the list of supplementaries. I do not think that this accurately reflects the provisions of the UK Memorandum.

2.

I suggest that in the speaking notes the sentence could be replaced by -

3.

"No decision has yet been taken on the date of the issue of the new passports, but it is intended that they should be introduced long before 1997."

The corresponding passage in the list of supplementaries could be replaced by the following

4.

*

"To accord with the terms of the UK Memorandum the status of BN(O) can, except in respect of children born in the first half of 1997, only be acquired by persons who hold or included in a British passport issued before 1 July 1997. It is intended therefore that all eligible persons should have adequate opportunity to apply for an appropriate British passport well before that date. There are many BDTC's in Hong Kong who have never previously held a British passport. It is expected that such persons will wish to apply simultaneously for the new status and a new passport. passport holders may wish to apply for the new status and passport when their current passports expire.'

Present

In the passage in the speaking notes dealing with Eurasians

I suggest that the penultimate sentence should read

"The Chinese nationality law states that with certain exceptions any person born in China or abroad, one of whose parents is a Chinese national, has Chinese nationality."

28 February 1985

Copy to:

Mr Grainger, LA

7. Burrows

F Burrows

Legal Counsellor

CODE 18-77

CONFIDENTIAL