TNAG-1559-FCO40-2123-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-passports-Hong-Kong-(Br-1986 — Page 138

150

CONFIDENTIAL

9257 - 1

OCMIAN 9257

CONFIDENTIAL

OO HOKON

FM FCOLN TO HOKON

211630Z JAN

GRS 172

CONFIDENTIAL

HAM Ogoly

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

22 JAN 1986

DESK OFFICER

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 133

OF 211630Z JANUARY 86

INFO ROUTINE PEKING

139)

INDEX

PA

И

YOUR TELNO 211: PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE ON WHITE PAPER ON

NATIONALITY

1.

THE NOTE TO WHICH YOU REFER IN TUR WAS ISSUED BY

CONSERVATIVE CENTRAL OFFICE FOR THE GOVERNMENT WHIPS' USE IN

BRIEFING BACK BENCH TORY MPS PRIOR TO THE DEBATE ON THE ORDER IN

COUNCIL. SOME BACKBENCH MPS WILL HAVE RECEIVED COPIES OF THIS

BRIEFING NOTE. THE NOTE SET OUT THE GOVERNMENT'S POSITION IN

MUCH THE SAME WAY AS MINISTERS DID AT THE BEGINNING OF THE

DEBATES. THE PREPARATION OF SUCH NOTES IS STANDARD PROCEDURE

BEFORE DEBATES.

2.

IF THE HONG KONG PRESS CRITICISE THE GOVERNMENT FOR

BRIEFING ITS OWN BACKBENCHERS ON ITS POSITION, WE SHALL TAKE THE

LINE THAT THIS IS A NORMAL AND NATURAL PROCEDURE. IT WOULD BE

ABSURD TO SUGGEST THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE INHIBITED FROM

EXPLAINING ITS POINT OF VIEW ON A PIECE OF GOVERNMENT

LEGISLATION TO ITS OWN PARLIAMENTARY PARTY.

HOWE

HONG KONG AGREEMENT: NATIONALITY

LIMITED

HD/HKD

HD/FED

HD/NTD

RESEARCH D (MR WALKER)

DEP HD/PUSD

PS

PS/MR RENTON

PS/PUS

SIR W HARD ING

MR WILSON

COPIES TO:

MR ROBERTS, NEWS DEPT

MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS

MR GRAINGER, LEGAL ADVISERS

MR D MCDOUGALL, KVD

MR HYDE, HOME OFFICE

MR EMERY, B4 DIV, HOME OFFICE, CROYDON

MR NICHOLSON, PASSPORT DEPT, HOME OFFIC

ROOM 236, CLIVE HOUSE.

MR MCDONOUGH, B2 DIV, HOME OFFICE

MR WOOD LEGAL ADVISERS

CONFIDENTIAL ·