TNAG-2160-FCO40-3080-Hong-Kong-nationality-package-Chinese-views-1990 — Page 34

CONFIDENTIAL

CHKC340/1

16 JUL 1990

REGISTR - Action Takur.

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE PEKING

TELNO 555

OF 121020Z JULY 90

AND TO IMMEDIATE UKREP JLG HONG KONG

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG

TOP COPY Q DIST?

(

51

143042

MDHOAN 2372

fa Nat: Chinese &M, 3/7.

MR MAUDE'S VISIT TO CHINA: NATIONALITY BILL TIMETABLE

1.

AS YOU MAY ALREADY HAVE GATHERED, PROVIDED THE NATIONALITY BILL IS NOT AMENDED IN THE LORDS' COMMITTEE STAGE LATER THIS MONTH, IT WILL RECEIVE ITS THIRD READING IN THE LORDS ON 23 JULY AND ROYAL ASSENT ON 27 JULY. THIS TIMING WILL UNFORTUNATELY COINCIDE EXACTLY WITH MR MAUDE'S VISIT TO CHINA, AND INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD THAT THE NATIONALITY ISSUE WILL ASSUME A HIGHER PROFILE DURING THE VISIT THAN WE WOULD WISH.

2. ALTHOUGH WE DO NOT EXPECT THE THIRD READING AND ROYAL ASSENT TO GENERATE MUCH PUBLICITY AT THIS END, THE PASSING OF THE BILL ONTO THE STATUTE BOOKS IS LIKELY TO BE HEADLINE NEWS IN HONG KONG, AND THUS BE PICKED UP BY THE CHINESE. EVEN IF THE CHINESE DO NOT TAKE THE INITIATIVE IN ISSUING A STATEMENT AROUND 23-27 JULY, WE THINK THEY MAY WELL BE FORCED TO DO SO IN RESPONSE TO PRESS QUESTIONS, AS WAS THE CASE AFTER THE BILL COMPLETED ITS PASSAGE THROUGH THE COMMONS.

3. WE HAVE EXAMINED THE POSSIBILITY OF VARYING THE LORDS' TIMETABLE. THE LORDS RISES FOR THE SUMMER ON 26 JULY. THERE IS NO SCOPE FOR BRINGING THE TIMETABLE FORWARD: IT IS ALREADY VERY TIGHT. TO LET THE TIMING SLIP WOULD MEAN ROYAL ASSENT IN THE AUTUMN AND THERE IS UNDERSTANDABLY AN OVERRIDING CONCERN THAT THIS SHOULD NOT BE DELAYED IF AT ALL POSSIBLE. WE HAVE THEREFORE CONCLUDED THAT THERE IS NO SCOPE FOR VARYING THE TIMING.

JI

WE SHALL HOWEVER NEED TO WARN THE CHINESE ABOUT THE COINCIDENCE OF TIMING AND MAKE IT CLEAR TO THEM THAT THIS WAS UNINTENTIONAL AND UNAVOIDABLE. MR MAUDE SPOKE ALONG THESE LINES TO THE CHINESE AMBASSADOR AT DINNER LAST NIGHT (11 JULY). SAID THAT HE DID NOT EXPECT TOO STRONG A REACTION TO THE

COINCIDENCE OF TIMING.

5.

WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU AND UKREP JLG COULD TAKE A

1

PAGE

CONFIDENTIAL