TNAG-1562-FCO40-2126-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-passports-Hong-Kong-(Br-1986 — Page 10

GRS 350

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 04090OZ FCO

TELNO 997

OF 040705Z APRIL 86

"INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

445

CONFIDENTIAL TOP COPY

HAK 34011 ник

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

J

- 4 APR 1986

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

REGISTRY

Action Taken

FOLLOWING FOR HUM/FROM GOVERNOR.

au2) (a43

YOUR TELS 600 AND 601 : NATIONALITY ORDER W COUNCIL.

1. CONSULTED EXCO THIS MORNING.

2. MEMBERS WERE GRATEFUL FOR THE PROPOSAL THAT THE WORD 'CURRENT''

BE OMITTED FROM THE ENDORSEMENT. WITH THIS AMENDMENT, THEY

CONSIDERED THAT THE ENDORSEMENT SHOULD MEET HONG KONG'S REQUIREMENTS. THEY THOUGHT IT WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE TO LEGCO.

1

3. IN RESPECT OF THE PROPOSED PARLIAMENTARY STATEMENT, THEY CONSIDERED THAT THE NCLUSION OF THE WORD CURRENT MN THE THIRD SENTENCE WAS ACCEPTABLE, BUT THEY QUESTIONED WHETHER IT WOULD THEN BE NECESSARY TO CONTINUE WITH THE WORDS OF COURSE IN THIS

MATTER AS IN ANY OTHER CANNOT SPEAK FOR THE POLICIES OF FUTURE GOVERNMENTS, BUT PRESUMABLY SUCH A STATEMENT IS NOT NORMALLY MADE IN RESPECT OF OTHER EXECUTIVE ACTS: TO OMIT IT WOULD HELP TO REMOVE A POSSIBLE SOURCE OF CONCERN HERE REGARDING HMG'S FUTURE

INTENTIONS.

4. TO SUM UP, MEMBERS WOULD PREFER THE THIRD AND FOURTH SENTENCES

OF THE DRAFT STATEMENT TO BE COMBINED AS FOLLOWS-

''THUS IS THE POSITION UNDER THE CURRENT IMMIGRATION RULES AND 1

REPEAT THAT THIS GOVERNMENT HAS NO INTENTION WHATSOEVER OF

INTRODUCING ANY VISA REQUIREMENTS FOR SUCH WISITORS''.

5. MEMBERS RAISED NO OBJECTION TO INCLUDING AN EDITED VERSION

OF THE STATEMENT #N THE LEAFLET. BUT THEY WOULD APPRECIATE BEING

ABLE TO SEE THE FULL VERSION OF THE PROPOSED TEXT. THEY WERE

PARTICULARLY CONCERNED THAT THE LEAFLET SHOULD MAKE T ABSOLUTELY

CLEAR THAT THE POLICY SET OUT IN THE STATEMENT IN PARLIAMENT

APPLIED TO THE HOLDER OF THE PASSPORT TO WHOM THE LEAFLET WAS

ISSUED.

CONFIDENTIAL

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