TNAG-1564-FCO40-2129-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-passports-Hong-Kong-(Br-1986 — Page 168

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SHOULD BE GRANTED BRITISH CITIZENSHIP RATHER THAN BRITISH OVERSEAS CITIZENSHIP IF AFTER 1 JULY 1997 THEY WOULD OTHERWISE BE STATELESS. THERE ARE AT PRESENT ABOUT 11,500 BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZENS WHO MIGHT BE AFFECTED BY THIS PROVSISION. THE GOVERNMENT HAS CAREFULLY CONSIDERED ALL THE ARGUMENTS PUT FORWARD IN SUPPORT OF THIS REQUEST, BUT WE HAVE CONCLUDED THAT THE GRANTING OF BRITISH CITIZENSHIP IS NOT JUSTIFIED IN THE PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES. WE ARE SATISFIED THAT WE SHALL BE ABLE PROPERLY TO MEET THE NEED OF THESE CITIZENS, THEIR CHILDREN AND THEIR GRANDCHILDREN FOR AN ACCEPTED CITIZENSHIP STATUS AND FOR A PLACE TO CALL THEIR HOME. THIS WILL BE ENSURED THROUGH THE GUARANTEES OF RIGHT OF ABODE IN HONG KONG AFTER 1997 PROVIDED IN THE AGREEMENT WITH THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, AND THROUGH THE PROVISION OF BRITISH OVERSEAS CITIZENSHIP STATUS FOR ANY WHO WOULD OTHERWISE BE STATELESS, DOWN TO THE SECOND GENERATION BORN AFTER 1997. BRITISH CITIZENSHIP WOULD NOT STRENGTHEN THE POSITION OF THESE COMMUNITIES IN HONG KONG. IF HOWEVER ANY BRITISH NATIONAL WAS IN FUTURE TO COME UNDER PRESSURE TO LEAVE HONG KONG WE WOULD EXPECT THE GOVERNMENT OF THE DAY TO CONSIDER SYMPATHETICALLY THE CASE FOR ADMISSION TO THE UNITED KINGDOM.

WE BELIEVE OUR RESPONSE TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL HAS SHOWN THAT WE PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE COUNCIL AND THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AND THAT, AS A RESULT, THE NATIONALITY PROVISIONS FOR HONG KONG HAVE BEEN CLARIFIED AND IMPROVED. WE BELIEVE IT WOULD BE RIGHT NOW TO PUT IN PLACE THE NATIONALITY PROVISIONS WHICH HAVE BEEN EXTENSIVELY DISCUSSED IN PARLIAMENT AND IN HONG KONG SO THAT DETAILED PLANNING WORK CAN CONTINUE WITHOUT DELAY. I INTEND THEREFORE TO LAY THE DRAFT ORDER IN COUNCIL BEFORE THE HOUSE IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS. ENDS.

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 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

MR NICHOLSON, PASSPORT DEPT, HOME OFFICE

ROOM 236, CLIVE HOUSE.

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

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