TNAG-1568-FCO40-2134-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-passports-Hong-Kong-(Br-1986 — Page 150

OCMIAN 5994

CONFIDENTIAL

PP HOKON

FM FCOLN TO HOKON

12150OZ AUG

GRS 1128

CONFIDENTIAL

TOP COPY

O DIST ?

950

55994 1

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO PRIORITY HONG KONG

TELNO 1726

OF 12150OZ AUGUST 86

INFO PRIORITY PEKING

(949)

MY THIRD IPT:

HKK 340

RECEIVED MY PONTIS

27 AUG 1986

DRS

INTERNATIONAL ACCEPTANCE OF BN(0) PASSPORTS

FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF DRAFT ANNEX TO LETTER IN MIPT. BEGINS

HONG KONG: BRITISH NATIONALS (OVERSEAS): FACILITATING TRAVEL TO

THIRD COUNTRIES

HISTORY

1.

DURING THE NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN THE BRITISH AND CHINESE

GOVERNMENTS WHICH WERE CONCLUDED BY THE SIGNING OF THE

SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION ON THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG ON 19 DECEMBER 1984, A MAJOR CONCERN EXPRESSED BY HONG KONG BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZENS (BDTCS) WAS THAT THEY MIGHT LOSE THEIR BRITISH NATIONALITY WHEN HONG KONG REVERTED TO CHINESE

SOVEREIGNTY ON 1 JULY 1997. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT THEREFORE

NEGOTIATED WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT AN EXCHANGE OF MEMORANDA

ASSOCIATED WITH THE JOINT DECLARATION. THE EFFECT OF THE UK

MEMORANDUM IS THAT HONG KONG BDTCS CAN ACQUIRE A NEW FORM OF

BRITISH NATIONALITY WHICH THEY CAN RETAIN FOR LIFE: THEY CAN USE BRITISH PASSPORTS SHOWING THEIR NEW STATUS AND WILL QUALIFY FOR

BRITISH CONSULAR PROTECTION IN THIRD COUNTRIES.

IN ADDITION,

UNDER SECTION XIV OF ANNEX I TO THE JOINT DECLARATION, AS RESIDENTS OF THE FUTURE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION,

1

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