TNAG-1387-FCO40-1835-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-citizenship-1986 — Page 16

GRS 200

RESTRICTED

FM HONG KONG

RESTRICTED

Ithu odole POFY ник осон

RECEIVEL. REGISTRY

- 2 JAN 1986

6a16

TO ROUTINE FCO

TELNO 2921

DES

OF 210525Z DECEMBER 85

INDEX

INFO ROUTINE PEKING

ICFA

REGISTRY

PA

Action Taken

614

YOUR TELNO 2011: HONG KONG AGREEMENT: NATIONALITY ORDER IN

COUNCIL.

THE

WE HAVE CONDUCTED RESEARCH ON THE SUBJECT RAISED IN YOUR TUR. THE 400 FORMER SERVICEMEN IN HONG KONG PROBABLY COMPRISE MEMBERS FROM THE FOLLOWING THREE ASSOCIATIONS WITH A CERTAIN DEGREE OF OVERLAPPING. THESE ARE THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION (LOCAL BRANCH), HONG KONG PRISONERS OF WAR ASSOCHATHON AND THE SECOND WORLD WAR VETERANS ASSOCIATION. UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE ONLY GOT THE MEMBERSHIP LIST WITH SERVICE PARTICULARS OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR VETERANS ASSOCIATION TO HAND. ACCORDING TO THE LIST, THE ASSOCIATION HAS 145 MEMBERS AS AT SEPTEMBER 1985. OF THESE, 139 SERVED WITH BRITISH UNITS SUCH AS THE BRITISH ARMY AND GROUP, THE ROYAL ARTILLERY AND THE ROYAL ENGINEERS DURING THE WAR YEARS. ONLY SX OF THEM SERVED WITH HONG KONG UNITS E.G. THE HONG KONG CHINESE REGIMENT AND THE HONG KONG VOULNTEERS. IN THE ABSENCE OF SIMILAR INFORMATION ON THE OTHER TWO ASSOCIATIONS, WE HESITATE TO CONCLUDE THAT THE PATTERN 4S INDICATIVE OF THE ENTIRE EX-SERVICEMEN POPULATION.

2. WE COULD ASK THE TWO ASSOCIATIONS FOR COPIES OF THEIR MEMBERSHIP LISTS IF THESE ARE AVAILABLE. BUT IN VIEW OF THE SENSITIVITIES THAT THIS MAY GENERATE ESPECIALLY WHEN THE DRAFT NATIONALTY ORDER IS ABOUT TO BE DEBATED IN PARLIAMENT, WE WOULD PREFER NOT (NOT) TO DO SO UNLESS YOU THANK THE INFORMATION IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL.

YOUDE

HONG KONG AGREEMENT: NATIONALITY

LIMITED

HD/HKD

HD/FED

HD/NTD

RESEARCH D (MR WALKER)

DEP HD/PUSD

PS

PS/MR RENTON

PS/PUS

SIR W HARDING

MR WILSON

COPIES TO:

MR ROBERTS, NEWS DEPT

MR FIFOOT. LEGAL ADVISERS

R GRAINGER, LEGAL ADVISERS

MR D MCDOUGALL, MVD

MR HYDE, HOME OFFICE

MR EMERY, B4 DIV, HOME OFFICE, CROYDON

MF NICHOLSON, PASSPORT DEPT, HOME OFFICE

ROOM 236, CLIVE HOUSE.

MR MCDONOUGH, B2 DIV, HOME OFFICE

MR WOOD LEGAL ADVISERS

RESTRICTED