TNAG-2158-FCO40-3078-Hong-Kong-nationality-package-Chinese-views-1990 — Page 85

CONFIDENTIAL

67

061113

MDLIAN 6071

CONFIDENTIAL

FM UKREP JLG HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 48

OF 140132Z MARCH 90

IHK 340

INFO PRIORITY PEKING, HONG KONG INDLA

26 MAR 1990

PA

MY

REGISTRY

Action Taken

COPY

YOUR TELNO 537 TO HONG KONG: NATTON

1 AS WELL AS CONSIDERING APPROACHES TO THE CHINESE IN THE MEANTIME, WE SHALL NEED TO CONSIDER HOW TO HANDLE THE SUBJECT OF THE NATIONALITY PACKAGE AT THE JLG PLENARY MEETING AT THE END OF APRIL. THE PROBABILITY MUST BE THAT THE CHINESE WILL NOT BE PERSUADED BY OUR ARGUMENTS AND THAT THEY WILL SEEK TO RAISE THE MATTER AT THE PLENARY. INDEED, GIVEN THE PARLIAMENTARY TIMETABLE THEY MAY WELL TRY TO USE THE PLENARY TO PUT EXTRA PRESSURE ON THE UK IN THE HOPE OF INFLUENCING EVENTS IN PARLIAMENT. DISCUSSIONS ON THE AGENDA ARE LIKELY TO START SOON, FOLLOWING THE ARRIVAL HERE TOMORROW OF THE NEW CHINESE AMBASSADOR, GUO FENGMIN.

2.

WE CLEARLY DO NOT WISH TO AVOID DISCUSSION OF THE SUBJECT WITH THE CHINESE IN THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP: INDEED WE ARE SEEKING IT OURSELVES. ON THE OTHER HAND, IT WOULD BE A MISTAKE TO ALLOW THEM TO PUT THE BRITISH NATIONALITY PACKAGE AS SUCH ON THE AGENDA. THAT

I IMAGINE WOULD SIMPLY ENABLE THEM TO CONCENTRATE THEIR FIRE ON IT THAT IN ANY CASE WE WOULD NOT WISH TO MAKE A PIECE OF BRITISH LEGISLATION THE SUBJECT OF BILATERAL DISCUSSION IN THIS WAY.

-

3. I THEREFORE SUGGEST THAT WE SHOULD OURSELVES PROPOSE TO THE CHINESE THAT THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP SHOULD DISCUSS A BROAD AGENDA ITEM SUCH AS QUOTE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NATIONALITY PROVISIONS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION UNQUOTE. THIS WOULD ENABLE THE CHINESE TO MAKE ANY POINTS THEY WISH ABOUT THE BRITISH NATIONALITY PACKAGE AND IT WOULD ALSO ENABLE US TO DEFEND IT. BUT IT WOULD ALSO ALLOW US TO REOPEN THE OTHER AREAS OF APPLICATION OF THE CHINESE NATIONALITY LAW TO HONG KONG WHICH WE WISH TO DISCUSS, AND IN GENERAL TO TRY TO GUIDE DISCUSSION IN THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP TOWARDS A RATIONAL AND CONSTRUCTIVE EXAMINATION OF THE PRACTICAL PROBLEMS.

4. WE HAVE DISCUSSED THIS APPROACH WITH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, WHO AGREE. GRATEFUL FOR YOUR AND PEKING'S VIEWS.

GALSWORTHY

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