TNAG-1564-FCO40-2129-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-passports-Hong-Kong-(Br-1986 — Page 76

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NON-CHINESE BDTCS BECOMING STATELESS. THIS COULD OF COURSE ONLY

HAPPEN 'AFTER 1 JULY 1997' IF SUCH MEASURES WERE NOT TAKEN. THE

RE-ORDERING OF THE THREE POINTS IS DELIBERATE TO PUT GOOD NEWS

BEFORE BAD.

BRIEFING BY SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICERS (YOUR TELNO 1190)

4.

WE ARE GENERALLY CONTENT WITH THE PROPOSED LINE TO TAKE,

SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING POINTS:

(A)

WE SHOULD PREFER THE POINT IN PARA 5 TO BE REFORMULATED.

YOU MIGHT DRAW ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT THE ORDER IS TO BE LAID

BEFORE THE HOUSE IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS BUT NOTE THAT THE MEASURES

TO BE TAKEN RELATING TO THE ENDORSEMENT AND THE EX-SERVICEMEN DO

NOT OF THEMSELVES REQUIRE ANY AMENDMENT TO THE DRAFT ORDER:

(B)

PARA 6. THE ANSWER TO QUESTION 1 MIGHT BE EXPANDED AS

FOLLOWS:

(C)

'STATEMENT MAKES CLEAR ORDER IS TO BE LAID IN NEXT FEW

DAYS. DATE OF DEBATE A MATTER FOR LONDON.'

WE FIND THE SECOND SENTENCE OF THE ANSWER TO QUESTION 4

POTENTIALLY CONFUSING AND SUGGEST THE FOLLOWING EXPANDED FORM OF

REPLY:

'THE ORDER IN COUNCIL AND THREE LEGCO REQUESTS ARE

MATTERS FOR HMG. CERTAIN OTHER ARRANGEMENTS FOR NEW BN (0)

PASSPORT HAVE OF COURSE BEEN DISCUSSED WITH CHINESE. AND

ORDER IN COUNCIL MUST BE CONSISTENT WITH TERMS

OF UK MEMORANDUM ASSOCIATED WITH JOINT DECLARATION.'

HOWE

HONG KONG AGREEMENT: NATIONALITY

-

1

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

LEGAL ADVISERS MR GRAINGER,

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

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