TNAG-1562-FCO40-2126-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-passports-Hong-Kong-(Br-1986 — Page 99

CONFIDENTIAL

3. ONE POINT THAT HAS NOT ESCAPED NOTICE HERE IS THAT IT WAS ONLY BECAUSE OF LORD CHITNIS'S LETTER THAT THE CONVENTION REFERRED TO YOUR TELNO 549 DECANE KNOWN TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. FORTUNATELY, NOONE HAS AS YET ACCUSED EITHER HMG OR THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OF INTENTIONALLY WITHHOLDING INFORMATION FROM THE COUNCIL BUT IT IS NEVERTHELESS AN AMBARRASSMENT TO US, AND NO DOUBT TO YOU AS WELL, THAT WE HAVE BEEN UNSIGHTED ON THESE PROCEDURAL DETAILS. THIS UNDERLINES THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING A CLEAR AND AUTHORITATIVE STATEMENT OF THE PROCEDURES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

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 MR BARRINGTON

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

MF NICHOLSON, PASSPORT DEPT, HOME OFFICE

ROOM 236, CLIVE HOUSE.

MR MCDONOUGH, B2 DIV, HOME OFFICE MR WOOD LEGAL ADVISERS

CONFIDENTIAL