TNAG-1456-FCO40-1980-Future-of-Hong-Kong-annual-report-to-Parliament-on-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 116

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NON-CHINESE) BDTCS SHOULD ALSO BE GRANTED BRITISH CITIZENSHIP.

HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT AGREED TO THE PASSPORT ENDORSEMENT

REQUEST IN FULL. THE MAJORITY OF THE 270 OR SO SERVICE VETERANS

ARE NOT ELIGIBLE UNDER THE BRITISH NATIONALITY ACT 1981 FOR

REGISTRATION AS BRITISH CITIZENS. HOWEVER THE GOVERNMENT AGREED

TO CONSIDER SYMPATHETICALLY APPLICATIONS FROM THE 60 OR SO

ELIGIBLE FOR BRITISH CITIZENSHIP AND AGREED THAT ANY OF THE 270

COULD BE ADMITTED TO THE UK FOR SETTLEMENT TOGETHER WITH THEIR

DEPENDANTS. HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT DID NOT CONSIDER IT RIGHT

TO ACCEDE TO THE REQUEST FOR BRITISH CITIZENSHIP FOR ETHNIC

MINORITY BDTCS. MINISTERS TOOK THE VIEW THAT THE PROVISIONS OF

THE JOINT DECLARATION AND THE PROPOSED ORDER IN COUNCIL MET FULLY

THE CONCERN OF THIS COMMUNITY TO HAVE BOTH A RECOGNISED

NATIONALITY STATUS AND A SECURE RIGHT OF ABODE IN HONG KONG,

WHERE THEY WANT TO CONTINUE TO LIVE. HOWEVER, MINISTERS, IN

RECOGNISING THE CONCERN FELT AMONG THIS COMMUNITY IN HONG KONG,

STATED IN PARLIAMENT THAT THEY WOULD CONSIDER IT AN OBLIGATION

UPON ANY FUTURE GOVERNMENT TO TREAT WITH VERY CONSIDERABLE AND

PARTICULAR SYMPATHY THE CASE FOR ADMISSION TO THE UNITED KINGDOM

OF ANY INDIVIDUAL BRITISH NATIONAL WHO, AGAINST ALL EXPECTATIONS,

CAME UNDER PRESSURE TO LEAVE HONG KONG.

ONCE THE ORDER HAD BEEN MADE HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT INITIATED

IN SEPTEMBER 1986 AN EXTENSIVE DIPLOMATIC EXERCISE TO EXPLAIN TO

OTHER COUNTRIES THE NEW STATUS AND THE PASSPORT THAT GOES WITH

PARLIAMENTWILL BE INFORMED OF THE RESULTS OF THE EXERCISE

IN DUE COURSE. THE RESPONSE SO FAR HAS BEEN FAVOURABLE, AND THE

GOVERNMENT ARE CONFIDENT THAT THE NEW STATUS WILL RECEIVE

WIDESPREAD INTERNATIONAL ACCEPTANCE.

IT.

ON 11 APRIL 1986, MEMORANDA WERE EXCHANGED BETWEEN THE BRITISH

EMBASSY IN PEKING AND THE CHINESE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

RECORDING THE AGREEMENT REACHED ON THE TERMS OF THE RIGHT OF

ABODE ENDORSEMENT TO BE ENTERED IN THE PASSPORTS OF BRITISH

NATIONALS (OVERSEAS). THIS ENDORSEMENT WILL GUARANTEE THE

HOLDER'S RETURNABILITY TO HONG KONG BEFORE AND AFTER 1997.

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