TNAG-1566-FCO40-2131-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-passports-Hong-Kong-(Br-1986 — Page 114

NOTES FOR SUPPLEMENTARIES

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WHAT ARE THE REASONS FOR REFUSING

THIS REQUEST?

WHY WILL HMG NOT ACCEPT THEIR

MORAL RESPONSIBILITY TO THE

NON-ETHNIC CHINESE?

British citizenship does not properly reflect

the position of the ethnic minorities in Hong

Kong: nor can it secure their position there.

Their future in Hong Kong can only be secured

by the Agreement with the Chinese Government:

this guarantees them the right to live in Hong

Kong.

All British Dependent

Territories citizens connected with Hong Kong

will up to July 1997 have the right to be British

Nationals (Overseas). But any who do not do

so, or whose children or grandchildren later

risk statelessness can become British Overseas

citizens. This properly reflects their position

in Hong Kong. It would be wrong to treat them

differently from the many thousands of other

British Overseas citizens throughout the world;

and it is not necessary in order to give them

what they say they want an accepted nationality

status and a home in Hong Kong.

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We accept and are meeting our responsibility

for all British Dependent Territories citizens

in Hong Kong. Order provides that all Hong

Kong British Dependent Territories citizens,

whatever their ethnic origins, will be entitled

to British National (Overseas) status and to

the passport that goes with it. In 1997, only

those who have not become British Nationals

(Overseas) will become British Overseas citizens.

We have recognized and fully met our

responsibilities to the people of Hong Kong,

including those British Dependent Territories

citizens who are not ethnically Chinese.

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