TNAG-1560-FCO40-2124-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-passports-Hong-Kong-(Br-1986 — Page 149

FCS/86/032

HKD

CONFIDENTIAL

Pin

246)

vc: Ps

du. Pofell.

ps/nirRonioक Sirlo. Harding

Drilson

NTD MVD

SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT

HKK 040/4

RECEIVEL MEGISTRY

1 1FEB 1986

DESK OFF CER

INDEX

Hong Kong Nationality Order in Council

227)

Thank you for your letter of 31 January.

ken

am grateful for your agreement to look

carefully at the requests made by the Hong Kong

Legislative Council. It is indeed of great import-

ance that we carry Hong Kong opinion with us on this,

so far as is possible.

My officials are in contact with yours about the wording of a possible endorsement in the BN (O)

passport. We were most grateful for your department's

agreement to the line taken by Tim Renton at his press

conference in Hong Kong, which indicated acceptance

of the principle of an endorsement subject to finding

suitable wording. This has done a certain amount

to calm sentiment in Hong Kong: but public opinion

there will be waiting very anxiously for an eventual

decision on the wording.

Hong Kong officials have now visited the UK and provided your officials with further information

on the non-Chinese BDTCs and ex-servicemen. I fully

accept that these requests present great difficulties.

However it is also true that feelings in Parliament

are strong on both issues.

/I would