TNAG-2933-FCO40-4208-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-British-National-(Overseas)-1993 — Page 43

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELNO 916

OF 041136Z JUNE 93

T

IND

INFO IMMEDIATE HOME OFFICE

CONFIDENTIAL

135

131705 MDHIAN 3519

нкозабл

07 - 1993

FOR MR GOODLAD FROM GOVERNOR

COPY TO MR WARDLE, PUSS, HOME OFFICE

BN (0) PHASED REGISTRATION PROGRAMME

1.

WE DISCUSSED THIS ISSUE DURING YOUR VERY VALUABLE VISIT HERE EARLIER THIS WEEK. I KNOW YOU ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXCHANGE VIEWS WITH LEGCO MEMBERS AND WILL HAVE FELT THE FORCE OF THEIR CONCERNS.

2. ONE OUTSTANDING POINT WHICH NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED QUICKLY IS WHETHER BN (0) PASSPORT HOLDERS SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO RETAIN THEIR BDTC PASSPORTS ALSO UNTIL JUNE 1997. YOU WROTE ON THIS SUBJECT ON 21 MAY TO CHARLES WARDLE TO WHOM I AM COPYING THIS TELEGRAM: AND I BELIEVE YOU ARE WRITING HIM A SECOND LETTER IN THE LIGHT OF YOUR VISIT.

3.

I WOULD LIKE TO ADD MY STRONG VIEW THAT, IF THE HOME OFFICE WERE ABLE TO AGREE TO THIS, IT WOULD TAKE MUCH OF THE HEAT OUT OF THE ISSUE. IT IS NOT UNUSUAL TO BE ALLOWED TO HOLD TWO PASSPORTS, ALBEIT OFTEN OF DIFFERENT NATIONALITY. IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE THERE SEEMS TO ME A VERY GOOD CASE TO ALLOW THOSE ELIGIBLE TO HOLD TWO BRITISH PASSPORTS, ON A TEMPORARY BASIS. DESPITE OUR BEST EFFORTS TO THE CONTRARY, THE PERCEPTION UNDOUBTEDLY EXISTS HERE THAT BY REQUIRING BDTC PASSPORT HOLDERS TO EXCHANGE THEIR PASSPORTS FOR BCO) PASSPORTS PRIOR TO THE CHANGE OF SOVEREIGNTY IN JULY 1997, ALBEIT IN A PHASED PROGRAMME, WE ARE IN SOME WAY DEPRIVING THEM OF THEIR RIGHTS. IF WE WERE TO GO AHEAD WITH OUR PHASED PROGRAMME OF ISSUING BN (0) PASSPORTS BUT AT THE SAME TIME MADE CLEAR TO PEOPLE THAT THEY COULD RETAIN AND USE THEIR BDTC PASSPORT UNTIL 30 JUNE 1997 THIS WOULD REASSURE PEOPLE THAT THEY WERE IN FACT LOSING NOTHING PRIOR TO THE HANDOVER.

4.

I KNOW AND CAN UNDERSTAND THAT THE HOME OFFICE HAVE HAD CONCERNS IN OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ABOUT ISSUING DUPLICATE PASSPORTS

1

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