Kong should be granted British citizenship; and that ethnic minority (i.e. non-Chinese) BDTCs should also be granted British citizenship. Her Majesty's Government agreed to the passport endorsement request in full. The majority of the 270 or so service veterans are not eligible under the British Nationality Act 1981 for registration as British citizens. However the Government agreed to consider sympathetically applications from the 60 or so, eligible for British citizenship, and agreed that any of the 270 could be admitted to the United Kingdom for settlement together with their dependants. Her Majesty's Government did not consider it right to accede to the request for British citizenship for ethnic minority BDTCs. Ministers took the view that the provisions of the Joint Declaration and the proposed Order in Council met fully the concern of this community to have both a recognised nationality status and a secure right of abode in Hong Kong, where they want to continue to live. However, Ministers, in recognising the concern felt among this community in Hong Kong, stated in Parliament that they would consider it an obligation upon any future government to treat with very considerable and particular sympathy the case for admission to the United Kingdom of any individual British national who, against all expectations, came under pressure to leave Hong Kong.
16. Once the Order had been made Her Majesty's Government initiated, in September 1986, an extensive diplomatic exercise to explain to other countries the new status and the passport that goes with it. Parliament will be informed of the results of the exercise in due course. The response so far has been favourable, and the Government are confident that the new status will receive widespread international acceptance.
17. On 11 April 1986, Memoranda were exchanged between the British Embassy in Peking and the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs recording the agreement reached on the terms of a right of abode endorsement to be entered in the passports of British Nationals (Overseas). This endorsement will indicate the holder's right to return to Hong Kong and thus make the British National (Overseas) passport more readily acceptable for international travel before and after 1997.
(e) Drafting of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
18. Under paragraph 3(12) of the Joint Declaration the policies of the People's Republic of China regarding Hong Kong, which are set out in paragraph 3 of the Joint Declaration, and the elaboration of them in Annex I to the Joint Declaration, are to be stipulated in a Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China by the Chinese National People's Congress. The Basic Law Drafting Committee, appointed by the National People's Congress, has met on three occasions in Peking. Twenty three of its 59 members come from Hong Kong. Five Special Groups have been established to consider particular areas of the Basic Law. Mainland members of the Special Groups have made study tours to Hong Kong where they have consulted a wide range of individuals and groups. The Special Groups have
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