TNAG-1561-FCO40-2125-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-passports-Hong-Kong-(Br-1986 — Page 105

GRS 151

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 481

OF 141530Z MARCH 86

348)

CONFIDENTIAL

гний

HUL 040/4 оюу

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

1 7 MAR 1986

DESK OFFICER INDEX

MEGISTRY

PA

Action Taken

FOLLOWING PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM LAYDEN

YOUR TELNO 792: NATIONALITY ORDER IN COUNCIL

1.

WE ARE STILL WORKING TOWARDS AN AGREED SUBMISSION TO HO

AND FCO MINISTERS AND OD(K). WE HAVE NOT YET, THEREFORE, REACHED

THE STAGE OF ASKING PARLIAMENTARY MANAGERS TO ARRANGE A DEBATE,

AND CANNOT GIVE EVEN AN INFORMAL ESTIMATE OF WHEN THE ORDER MIGHT

BE PRESENTED OR THE DEBATE TAKE PLACE.

2.

THE FOLLOWING LINE, WHICH MAY BE USED IN PUBLIC, IS AS

FAR AS WE CAN GO FOR THE MOMENT:

'THE GOVERNMENT ARE COMMITTED TO CONSIDERING THE POINTS

RAISED BY HONG KONG VERY CAREFULLY AND THIS IS INEVITABLY TAKING

SOME TIME. IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO SAY AT THIS STAGE WHEN THE

ORDER WILL BE LAID BUT THE GOVERNMENT HOPE TO REACH A DECISION

SHORTLY.'

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 HARDING

MR WILSON

COPIES TO:

MR ROBERTS, NEWS DEPT

MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS

MR GRAINGER, LEGAL ADVISERS

MR D MCDOUGALL, MVD

MR HYDE,

HOME OFFICE

MR EMERY, B4 DIV, HOME OFFICE, CROYDON

MR NICHOLSON, PASSPORT DEPT, HOME OFFICE

ROOM 236, CLIVE HOUSE.

MR MCDONOUGH, B2 DIV, HOME OFFICE

MR WOOD LEGAL ADVISERS

CONFIDENTIAL

Page 105Page 106