TNAG-2158-FCO40-3078-Hong-Kong-nationality-package-Chinese-views-1990 — Page 50

SECRET

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 1047

OF 26114OZ MARCH 90

SECRET

CHKC340

< MAR 1990

BY

CISTRY

aken

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

INFO PRIORITY UKREP JLG HONG KONG

7

122502

MDHIAN 5886

Pa

MY SECOND IPT: UK NATIONALITY SCHEME: DRAFT SPEAKING NOTE (C) AS FOLLOWS:

BRIEFING THE CHINESE

CONSISTENCY OF NATIONALITY SCHEME WITH THE JOINT DECLARATION AND EXCHANGE OF MEMORANDA

WE THINK THAT THE LINE IN PARAGRAPHS 3 AND 4 OF YOUR TELNO 623 NEEDS TO BE STRENGTHENED. IT DOES NOT DIRECTLY ANSWER THE CHARGE THAT, BASED ON THE UK MEMORANDUM ASSOCIATED WITH THE JOINT DECLARATION, WE ARE GIVING A RIGHT OF ABODE IN THE UK TO PERSONS TO WHOM WE PROMISED TO DENY IT. WE THEREFORE SUGGEST THAT THESE TWO PARAGRAPHS BE REPLACED BY THE FOLLOWING:

''OUR MEMORANDUM ASSOCIATED WITH THE JOINT DECLARATION REFERS TO:

''ALL PERSONS WHO ON 30 JUNE 1997 ARE, BY VIRTUE OF A CONNECTION WITH HONG KONG, BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZENS (BDTCS) UNDER THE LAW IN FORCE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM .....

IT DOES NOT PRECLUDE THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT FROM GRANTING FULL BRITISH CITIZENSHIP TO ANYONE. INDEED, FAR FROM BEING CONTRARY TO ANY UNDERTAKING GIVEN BY THE BRITISH SIDE, THE NATIONALITY SCHEME IS STRICTLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE JOINT DECLARATION SQUARE BRACKET BEGINS JD 30 END OF SQUARE BRACKET, AND OUR DUTY TO DO ALL WE CAN TO PRESERVE HONG KONG'S ECONOMIC PROSPERITY AND SOCIAL STABILITY. THE WHOLE OBJECT OF OUR SCHEME IS TO KEEP IN HONG KONG SOME OF THE KEY PEOPLE WHO ARE NEEDED FOR THIS PURPOSE.

SQUARE BRACKETS BEGIN IF PRESSED: ANY PERSONS WHO ARE AT PRESENT BDTCS AND WHO BECOME BRITISH CITIZENS UNDER THE SCHEME WILL CEASE TO BE BDTCS AT AN APPROPRIATE TIME BEFORE 30 JUNE 1997. SQUARE BRACKETS END''

2. THE ABOVE SUGGESTION IS BASED ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE

BRITISH NATIONALITY BILL WILL INCLUDE PROVISION FOR BDTCS WHO

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