TNAG-2930-FCO40-4205-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-British-National-(Overseas)-1993 — Page 90

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YOUR TELNO 2945: PHASED PROGRAMME FOR REGISTERING BDTCS AS BN (0)S AND ISSUING THEM WITH PASSPORTS

1. THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPORT ON THE PRESS RELEASE.

2. WE WILL DO WHAT WE CAN TO GET THE ORDER-IN-COUNCIL PASSED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. HOME OFFICE ARE GOING AHEAD WITH PREPARATION OF DRAFT LEGISLATION FOR REGISTERING BDTCS AS BN (0)S. THEY ARE NOW DEVELOPING A TIME TABLE AND THEY AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP IN CLOSE TOUCH WITH YOU ON THIS. BUT IT IS POSSIBLE THAT DESPITE OUR BEST EFFORTS THERE WILL BE SOME SLIPPAGE THE HOME OFFICE HAVE TOLD US THEY WILL BE HARD PUSHED TO GET THE ORDER THROUGH IN APRIL.

Vide

3. WE WILL CERTAINLY ENSURE THAT YOU HAVE SIGHT OF THE DRAFT ORDER BEFORE IT GOES TO PARLIAMENT.

4. YOU ASK (YOUR PARAGRAPH 3) ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF LEAKS. WE THINK THAT A LEAK HERE IS UNLIKELY AND THAT YOU SHOULD PROCEED AS YOU PLAN WITH YOUR PUBLICITY ARRANGEMENTS.

HURD

HKD 346/1

YYYY

MAIN

.HK POLICY

HKD

PUSD

FED

64

RECE

DISTRIBUTION

05 JAN 1993

CEF

INDE

NTCD

PLANNERS

RAD

PS

LEGAL ADVISERS//MS BARRETT

./MS BROOKS AND MR GILES NEWS D

PS/MR GOODLAD SIR J COLES MR HUM

ADDITIONAL

1

HO//B4DIV MR C KELLEY

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