TNAG-2193-FCO40-3130-Hong-Kong-nationality-package-1990 — Page 40

Home Secretary

CONFIDENTIAL

076

HONG KONG ASSURANCES: LEGISLATION

Issu

نفة

Thank you for copying to me your minute of 27 March to the Douglas Hurd Prime Minister.

Declaration.

I am strongly of the view that the Bill should retain the

provision that recipients of British citizenship under the Scheme

should loose their BDTC status. As you rightly point out, without such a provision, the Chinese would argue that we were in breach of the undertaking in the UK Memorandum associated with the Joint

That would significantly enhance their ability to attack the nationality package, with adverse consequences for confidence in Hong Kong.

It might also caure confusion in Hong Kong it

there would be suggestions. beneficiaries under our package were to remain BDTCS, that the citizenship we were conferring was somehow different form "normal" &nlich citizenship.

Retention of Clause 2(2) in the Bill would enable us to

would maintain to the Chinese that beneficiaries from the nationality package were not covered by the terms of the UK Memorandum, since

they are not persons who will be BDTCs on 30 June 1997; and that the relevant paragraph of the UK Memorandum says nothing about right to confer British nationality on BDTCS, or anyone else with a

with

connection to Hong Kong, before the period/1997.

Secondly, I agree with your proposal to incorporate journalists and news editors into the category of information services". also also agree with the reinstatement of the Health Associate Professionals group.

The arguments in both cases are strong.

I am minuting to you separately on the question of the Approved Secondment Scheme.

offermenters of °°

Copies of this minute go/to, OD (K) colleagues, the Attorney General and Sir Robin Butler,

HAGAAP

Douglas Hurd

CONFIDENTIAL