TNAG-1406-FCO40-1881-Future-of-Hong-Kong-passports-and-visas-1985 — Page 124

CONFIDENTIAL

[NR7ADI]

IMMEDIATE

ZCZC

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO

OF 18180OZ SEPTEMBER 85

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

YOUR TELNO 1862: NATIONALITY ORDER IN COUNCIL: PASSPORTS

We

1. In para 7(b) of TUR you reported that you had told EXCO that an explanation of the general principles governing the arrangements for the issue of BN (O) passports would be available on the publication of the White Paper containing the nationality Order in Council. MIFT contains the text of such an explanation. We should be grateful for your comments at official level. would wish to consult Ministers before it went to EXCO. 2. We have still not resolved the question of authority to issue

We should be in a BN(O) passports (para(D) of your Telno 1586).

this to you shortly. position to telegraph a decision on 3. In the line to take we talk of responsibility for issue of passports rather than an entitlement to a passport or discretion under the Royal Prerogative. If anyone presses us on the dist ction befte entitlement and discretion we will have to explain that entitlement to hold a passport does not affect our to withold discretion to issue or pet to isetre a passport. In certain cases (outlined in DSP 25 Chapter 1) we would deem the individual to

HKD

J N POWE EL

hold

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