CONFIDENTIAL
024061
MDHOAN 1919
BE NECESSARY AND EXPEDIENT FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE 1986 ORDER WHICH ESTABLISHED BN (0) STATUS. WE BELIEVE THAT THIS POWER WOULD ALSO ALLOW FOR CUT-OFF DATES TO BE IMPOSED FOR BDTC APPLICATIONS SINCE THESE COULD BE DESCRIBED AS 'CONSEQUENTIAL PROVISIONS WHICH ARE NECESSARY OR EXPEDIENT FOR THE PURPOSE OF
1986 ORDER.
THE
7. AS FOR ALLOWING PERSONS TO HOLD BN (O) AND BDTC PASSPORTS CONCURRENTLY WE REMAIN OF THE VIEW EXPRESSED IN OUR TELNO 393 OF 11 MARCH 1985: THERE CAN BE NO QUESTION OF THIS. MINISTERS
ARE ON RECORD IN A LORDS' DEBATE IN 1986 ON CITIZENSHIP FOR
HONG KONG ETHNIC MINORITIES (OFFICIAL REPORT OF 16 MAY 1986, COLUMN 1436) IN WHICH IT WAS SAID THAT THE TWO PASSPORTS WOULD NOT/NOT BE HELD SIMULTANEOUSLY. THE UNDERLYING REASONS FOR THIS
POSITION ARE AS FOLLOWS:
(A) TO GUARD AGAINST ABUSE (TOO MANY PASSPORTS IN THE SYSTEM WITH THE RISK OF FORGERY, LOSS AND THEFT LEADING TO THE UNDERMINING OF IMMIGRATION CONTROL),
(B) TO ENSURE THAT BN (0)S DO NOT GET INTO TROUBLE WITH FOREIGN PORTS BY OFFERING TWO PASSPORTS, AND
(C) TO AVOID DOING ANYTHING WHICH MIGHT SUGGEST TO THIRD COUNTRIES THAT WE HAVE NO CONFIDENCE IN THE BN(0) PASSPORT. THERE IS A FURTHER ARGUMENT. SOME COUNTRIES HAVE DRAGGED THEIR FEET EITHER OVER ACCEPTANCE OF THE NEW BN (0) PASSPORT OR IN DROPPING VISA REQUIREMENTS WHICH HAVE NOT PREVIOUSLY BEEN APPLIED TO BDTCS (EG AUSTRIA). OTHERS HAVE EVEN STATED THEIR INTENTION OF REVIEWING THE ACCEPTIBILITY OF BN (0) PASSPORTS NEARER TO 1997. A REVERSAL OF POLICY AT THIS STAGE WOULD THEREFORE BE LIKELY TO LEAD TO RENEWED DIFFICULTIES OVER INTERNATIONAL ACCEPTANCE OF BN (0) PASSPORTS.
/
8. INCIDENTALLY, WE WERE GRATEFUL FOR THE SUGGESTION IN PARA 5 OF YOUR TELNO 2016, BUT EXPERIENCE OF FORMER COLONIES DOES NOT PROVIDE HELPFUL PARALLELS. ALTHOUGH RESPONSIBILITY FOR REGISTERING RESIDENTS FOR BRITISH NATIONALITY HAS PASSED ON INDEPENDENCE FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE TO THE HOME SECRETARY (IN PRACTICE THE HIGH COMMISSION) THIS HAS BEEN LIMITED TO THOSE FORMS OF NATIONALITY WHICH SURVIVED THE LOSS OF COLONIAL STATUS (EG BRITISH CITIZENSHIP, BOC, BPP). IN THE CASE OF HONG KONG BDTCS, BECAUSE (UNDER PARAGRAPH 3 OF THE 1986 ORDER) THAT STATUS WILL LAPSE ON 1 JULY 1997, THERE WILL BE NO LEGAL POWERS FOR THE HOME SECRETARY TO REGISTER ANYONE AS A HKBDTC AFTER 1 JULY 1997. NOR IS THERE ANY POWER UNDER PRESENT LEGISLATION FOR THE HOME SECRETARY TO REGISTER ANYONE AS A BN (0) AFTER 1 JULY 1997, EVEN IF AN APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION IS MADE
3
PAGE CONFIDENTIAL
Page 75Page 76
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.