TNAG-1472-FCO40-2003-Ministerial-visits-from-the-UK-to-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 56

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Date:

Time:

Reporter:

PMO/14

applications for permanent residence, correct me if I am wrong, I think you are talking about applications under the British Nationality Act, under the section which allows the Secretary

of State at his discretion to grant British citizenship to those

who have given exceptional service in somewhere like Hong Kong.

That is what you are talking about ? Yes. Well, the position

there is that there have been a number of applications and the

applicants will be replied to in due course. I had this mentioned

to me this morning by members of the Executive Council and I

the Legislative Council, and I have promised to mention this when

I get back to Britain because obviously one doesn't want people to be left in state of suspense, so I will see if we can let people

know our conclusions as quickly as possible.

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MR ?

Sir, in the coming eight months, do you think

it is enough for the UK to deal with the problem on the visa free I mean, on the BDTC that we are now enjoying ? We are going to

have the new BNO next year.

MINISTER: I don't see why not. It is obviously a

task, it is not a task which I am responsible for, but I am assured that the Foreign Office is going to get to work on this.

MS ?

Has any country indicated that it will want

to re-negotiate or demand these applications ?

MINISTER: Well, I don't know. All I know is that

two or three of the most important countries have already said that they are quite content with the BNO passport and will, of course, treat people as they treat them now as carriers of

the BDTC passport and I think that is the States, Australia and

there is in addition to this a resolution of the EEC to the effect

that the new passport ought to be treated in the same way as the old BDTC passport, so that is just an indication.

MR ?

Any further questions ?

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