TNAG-2936-FCO40-4211-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-British-National-(Overseas)-1993 — Page 52

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CONFIDENTIAL

HUD 340/1

ISTRY tion Takan

faxed to Her Kelly (277).

3/11, MG.

миска

please seat

rejiling

пот

8/11.

034444

MDHOAN 0564

TOP COPY

Q DIST?

CONFIDENTIAL

RECE

FM FCO

11 NOV 1993

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG,

TELNO 948

DS

e

OF 051723Z NOVEMBER 93

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

YOUR TELNO 1709: LEGCO MOTION TO BE MOVED BY

EMILY LAU

1.

We agree with the line to take on part (a) of Emily Lau's motion as set out in paragraph 4 of your TUR.

2. On (b), we have consulted the Home Office. Grateful if you could take the following line on the position of BN (0)s after 1997:

No reason to believe that BN (0) passport holders will be expelled from Hong Kong after 1997; vast majority will of course be Chinese citizens.

If an individual BN (0) passport holder were expelled, HMG would consider his or her position in the light of all the

circumstances.

- It is not sensible to speculate in any detail about a wholly hypothetical situation. Sir Geoffrey Howe told the Foreign Affairs Committee in 1989 that if, against all expectations, the worst were to happen after 1997, the United Kingdom with its special responsibilites for the colony would have to respond to that. The Government stands fully by that assurance.

3.

The Home Office remind us that Mrs Lau raised with the Home Secretary in August the implications of the Chinese authorities' treatment of Han Dong Fang for BN (0)s after 1997. The Home Secretary's reply of 5 October (copied to the Governor) touched on this point the line to take builds on this.

HURD

-

YYYY

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