TNAG-1561-FCO40-2125-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-passports-Hong-Kong-(Br-1986 — Page 119

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4. IN THE LIGHT OF THIS ADVICE,

SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF MINISTERS COULD BE ASKED TO CONSIDER AGAIN VERY SERIOUSLY WHETHER LEGAL CAUTION MS WORTH THE LIKELY POLITICAL COST IN HONG KONG. THE WORDING OF THE ENDORSEMENT WILL HAVE TO BE EXPLAINED TO A WELL-INFORMED AND UNCONVINCED AUDIENCE, INCLUDING A NUMBER OF DISTINGUISHED LAWYERS. WHILE THEY UNDERSTAND THE PRINCIPLE OF NOT COMMITTING SUCCESSOR GOVERNMENTS, IT IS GOING TO BE DIFFICULT TO CONVINCE THEM, ON THE BASIS OF THE ARGUMENTS THUS FAR ADVANCED, THAT THE PRINCIPLE WOULD IN PRACTICE BE COMPROMISED BY OMITTING THE FIRST CLAUSE. WOULD LEAVE A SOUR TASTE ALL ROUND IF THE OUTCOME OF THE EXERCISE LED TO DISAPPOINTMENT AND RECRIMINATION, INSTEAD OF A RECOGNITION OF HMG'S WASH TO RESPOND TO THE CONCERNS OF ITS HONG KONG

CITIZENS.

YOUDE

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

MR HUM FID

I

MR M

- SAUNDERS

LAW OFFICERS

POPT

CONFIDENTIAL