t
CONFIDENTIAL
5555 1
watc
THE DESCENDANTS OF BN(O)S AND BRITISH OVERSEAS CITIZENS UNTIL
WELL INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE NEXT CENTURY.
17.
THE GOVERNMENT RECOGNISE, OF COURSE, THAT NATIONALITY STATUS ALONE IS NOT SUFFICIENT. IT IS EQUALLY IMPORTANT THAT
THOSE NOW ESTABLISHED IN HONG KONG SHOULD CONTINUE TO HAVE A
RIGHT OF ABODE THERE. CLEARLY, RIGHT OF ABODE IN HONG KONG AFTER
JUNE 1997 CANNOT BE SECURED BY HOLDING ANY FORM OF BRITISH NATIONALITY, SINCE HONG KONG WILL NO LONGER BE PART OF BRITISH
TERRITORY. FOR THIS REASON THE AGREEMENT MADE SEPARATE
PROVISIONS TO SAFEGUARD THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN HONG KONG. THESE ARE
SET OUT IN SECTION XIV OF ANNEX I TO THE JOINT DECLARATION. AS
FAR AS THE NON-ETHNIC CHINESE COMMUNITY IS CONCERNED, THEY
GUARANTEE THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN HONG KONG AFTER 1997 TO ALL THOSE
WHO HAVE BEEN ORDINARILY RESIDENT FOR SEVEN YEARS IN HONG KONG
EITHER BEFORE OR AFTER THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION, AND WHO HAVE TAKEN IT AS THEIR PLACE OF
PERMANENT RESIDENCE. THE SAME GUARANTEE EXTENDS TO THEIR
CHILDREN (SEMI COLON) AND ALSO TO ANYONE WHO HAD RIGHT OF ABODE
(NEXT WORD UNDERLINED) ONLY IN HONG KONG BEFORE 1 JULY 1997. THESE
PROVISIONS COVER ALL THE NON-ETHNIC CHINESE BRITISH DEPENDENT
TERRITORIES CITIZENS IN HONG KONG, UNLESS THEY HAVE LEFT HONG KONG
PERMANENTLY AND HAVE THE RIGHT OF ABODE ELSEWHERE.
18.
THE INDIAN COMMUNITY IN PARTICULAR, WITH SUPPORT FROM THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS OF HONG KONG, ARGUE THAT THESE PROVISIONS DO NOT GO FAR ENOUGH.
THEY ARE CONCERNED FIRSTLY THAT BN(0) OR BOC STATUS WILL NOT ITSELF GIVE THEM RIGHT OF ABODE IN HONG KONG: THIS WILL BE A MATTER FOR THE
CHINESE GOVERNMENT. AND SECONDLY, THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THEIR DESCENDANTS AFTER THE SECOND GENERATION BORN
AFTER 1997. THEY HAVE THEREFORE ASKED TO BE GRANTED BRITISH CITIZENSHIP, RATHER THAN BN(0) OR BOC STATUS. BRITISH CITIZENSHIP DOES, OF COURSE, CARRY WITH IT THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN
THE UK.
19.
I HAVE TO SAY THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT PERSUADED THAT
IT WOULD BE RIGHT TO GRANT BRITISH CITIZENSHIP TO BDTCS IN THESE
CIRCUMSTANCES. BRITISH CITIZENSHIP WILL NOT HELP THEM TO SECURE
2
CONFIDENTIAL
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.