CONFIDENTIAL
31769
THE CLOSE CONTACTS BETWEEN BRITAIN AND HONG KONG WHICH THEIR
VISITS HELP TO MAINTAIN.
WE HOPE WE HAVE ALSO BEEN ABLE TO MEET THE VIEWS OF MANY
IN HONG KONG WHO THOUGHT THAT WE SHOULD GIVE SPECIAL RECOGNITION
TO FORMER SERVICEMEN IN HONG KONG WHO FOUGHT IN HONG KONG'S
DEFENCE IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR. WE HOPE THE ARRANGEMENTS WE
HAVE MADE WILL BE SEEN AS BOTH FITTING AND IMAGINATIVE.
WE HAVE NOT HOWEVER BEEN ABLE TO MEET THE REQUEST ON
BEHALF OF THOSE BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZENS IN HONG
KONG WHO ARE NOT ETHNICALLY CHINESE. I KNOW THIS WILL BE
UNWELCOME NEWS. BUT WE HAVE CONSIDERED THIS VERY CAREFULLY
INDEED AND WE HOPE THAT ON REFLECTION PEOPLE IN HONG KONG WILL
RECOGNISE THE REASONS WHICH LED US TO OUR DECISION AND WILL COME
TO SEE THE VALUE OF THE ARRANGEMENTS WE HAVE ALREADY MADE TO
PROVIDE THESE COMMUNITIES WITH AN ASSURED CITIZENSHIP STATUS AS
WELL AS A CONTINUED HOME IN HONG KONG.
I SHOULD LIKE TO RECORD MY THANKS TO THE LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL FOR THE FULL AND CONSTRUCTIVE CONTRIBUTIONS THEY HAVE
MADE TO IMPROVING THE NATIONALITY ARRANGEMENTS WE ARE MAKING FOR
PEOPLE IN HONG KONG. I BELIEVE THE GOVERNMENT HAVE RECOGNISED
THIS IN OUR RESPONSE TO YOUR REQUESTS. WE ARE, AS YOU KNOW, NOW
LAYING THE NATIONALITY ORDER BEFORE PARLIAMENT. WE LOOK FORWARD
TO RECEIVING THE COUNCIL'S CONTINUED ASSISTANCE AND ADVICE.
WITH BEST WISHES, ENDS
—
HOWE
HONG KONG AGREEMENT: NATIONALITY
LIMITED
HD/HKD
HD/FED
HD/NTD
RESEARCH D (MR WALKER)
DEP HD/PUSD
PS
PS/R 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
MR NICHOLSON, PASSPORT DEPT, HOME OFFICE
ROOM 236, CLIVE HOUSE.
MR MCDONOUGH, B2 DIV, HOME OFFICE MR WOOD LEGAL ADVISERS
CONFIDENTIAL
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