TNAG-1383-FCO40-1831-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-citizenship-1985 — Page 60

CONFIDENTIAL

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WOULD ACTUALLY WISH TO APPLY FOR BN(0) STATUS AND THAT THE

PROVISION WOULD THEREFORE COVER A THEORETICAL POSSIBILITY. IN

VIEW OF FCO'S VIEW THAT ENDORSING BN(0) PASSPORTS TO SHOW THAT

THE HOLDER HAS THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN THE UK WOULD NOT CAUSE

SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE CHINESE, AND THAT SUCH A PROVISION

WOULD NOT CAUSE ANY PRACTICAL PROBLEMS, WE RECOMMEND THAT THE

HOME OFFICE'S PROPOSAL BE ACCEPTED.

2.

TIMETABLE FOR MAKING THE ORDER. HOME OFFICE OFFICIALS PROPOSE

TO PUBLISH THE DRAFT ORDER AS AN ANNEX TO A WHITE PAPER COMMENTING

ON ITS PROVISIONS. THEY CONSIDER THAT THE EARLIEST THAT THIS

COULD BE PUBLISHED WOULD BE LATE SEPTEMBER/EARLY OCTOBER. THE

FIRST DEBATES ON THE PRELIMINARY DRAFT WOULD TAKE PLACE IN BOTH

HOUSES IN LATE NOVEMBER/EARLY DECEMBER. THE DRAFT WOULD THEN BE

AMENDED IN THE LIGHT OF COMMENTS DURING THESE DEBATES AND

RE-SUBMITTED FOR THE USUAL PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURES IN

FEBRUARY/MARCH, SO THAT THAT ORDER COULD BE IN PLACE BY APRIL.

HOME OFFICE OFFICIALS TOOK OUR POINT ABOUT THE NEED TO ALLOW TIME

FOR TRANSLATION OF THE PRELIMINARY DRAFT ORDER, ONCE AGREED

BETWEEN OURSELVES, AND AGREED THAT THE WHITE PAPER SHOULD BE

PUBLISHED IN HONG KONG AT THE SAME TIME AS IN THE UK.

GRATEFUL TO KNOW WHETHER YOU ARE CONTENT WITH OUR

RECOMMENDATIONS DESKBY 301100Z.

3.

HOWE

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