TNAG-1561-FCO40-2125-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-passports-Hong-Kong-(Br-1986 — Page 73

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The second point I wish to make is that the action we

ask should be taken is action that can be taken by the British

Government alone and if it is not taken responsibility will

rest solely with the British Government.

This is nothing to do with the Joint Declaration. No

prolonged negotiations with foreign governments are required.

The decisions and administrative steps that we want taken are

for the British Government to take. They affect the rights and privileges enjoyed by British nationals. Put simply we ask the

British Government

to allow British nationals holding British National (Overseas) passports to visit Britain freely and to make this right clear in the passports;

to make full British Citizens those British nationals

who are of non-Chinese descent;

to make full British Citizens those few remaining

British nationals in Hong Kong who fought for the

defence of British territory.

We consider that these modest requests are the very least the people of Hong Kong can expect to see satisfied after nearly a century and a half of British rule. They are totally

within the gift of the British Government. The Hong Kong

Government has a duty, as this Motion makes clear, to convey to the British Government the strength of feeling both in this Council and among the people of Hong Kong. It will do their authority in this community no good if it falls on deaf ears. We can only ask in this way because we are not represented in Parliament. If our requests are rejected, it will add to the profound resentment felt by many of Britain's most loyal subjects who will be seen by people around the world as a mean and unworthy denial of the just claims of Britain's most

vulnerable and deserving nationals.

Sir, I beg to move.