TNAG-1557-FCO40-2121-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-passports-Hong-Kong-(Br-1986 — Page 99

CONFIDENTIAL

6093 1

-

OCMIAN 6093

CONFIDENTIAL

OO HOKON

FM FCOLN TO HOKON

081700Z JAN

GRS 319

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 51

OF 081700Z JANUARY 86

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

48

ник очогу 04014

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

10 JAN 1986

ICER

PA

REGISTRY Action Taken

MY THIRD IPT: HONG KONG AGREEMENT: NATIONALITY ORDER IN COUNCIL: PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES

FOLLOWING IS DRAFT PASSAGE ON EX-SERVICEMEN: BEGINS

1.

WE FULLY RECOGNISE THE VALIANT CONTRIBUTION THAT THESE MEN GAVE DURING THE WAR. BUT MANY OF THEM WERE BORN IN HONG KONG, AS WERE THEIR PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS, AND ALL THEIR PERSONAL AND FAMILY CONNECTIONS ARE WITH HONG KONG. MOST IF NOT ALL OF THEM ARE BDTCS. THEY WILL BE ENTITLED TO BECOME BN (0)S AND WILL HAVE THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN HONG KONG UNDER THE AGREEMENT. TO GRANT THEM BRITISH CITIZENSHIP CANNOT SECURE THEIR FUTURE IN HONG KONG, WHICH IS WHERE THEY WISH TO CONTINUE TO LIVE.

2.

FURTHERMORE SOME OF THEM HAVE DUAL NATIONALITY. IT WOULD BE ULTRA VIRES THE HONG KONG ACT TO CONFER BRITISH NATIONALITY ON THOSE PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE PROPOSED STATELESS PROVISIONS. (OPEN SQUARE BRACKETS) THIS WOULD REQUIRE AN AMENDMENT TO THE BRITISH NATIONALITY ACT 1981. (CLOSE SQUARE BRACKETS) I DO NOT THINK IT RIGHT, THEREFORE, TO SINGLE THESE MEN OUT FOR SPECIAL TREATMENT. 3. WILL CONSIDER CAREFULLY ANY APPLICATION FROM BDTCS UNDER SECTION 4(5) OF THE BRITISH NATIONALITY ACT 1981 ON THE GROUNDS OF CROWN SERVICE UNDER THE GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG. CANNOT, OF

1

CONFIDENTIAL

49