TNAG-2944-FCO40-4220-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-dependants-wives-and-widow-1993 — Page 92

faxed

into

On

HKCD 340/8 MC 2919

Publicity

to Mr Hewellyn for

whether it Edward's attended & whether there was

and

मद

Ми

MILD

Уна остра

FROM: P F Ricketts

Hong Kong Department

1 $$EP 1993

Ms B-J

DATE: 17 September, 1993

wid.NAT.dbj

Sir J Coles

PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT TO JAPAN:

OF WAR

cc: Mr Hum

By Fax: Chancery,

Tokyo

HONG KONG ANGLE ON PRISONERS

20

1. The Governor's Special Adviser, Edward Llewellyn, has alerted us to the presence in Tokyo of a Hong Kong campaigner for the rights of servicemen who defended Hong Kong in the Second World War (some of whom became Japanese prisoners of war) and their dependents. Mr Jack Edwards (who was himself a POW) apparently plans to hand over a letter to the Prime Minister lobbying for British citizenship to be granted to the wives and widows of these ex-servicemen.

2. The Hong Kong Government and the Governor have argued

strongly for the Home Secretary to use his discretion under Nationality legislation to grant citizenship to members of this group on the basis of a very short stay in the United

Kingdom. We have urged the Home Office at Ministerial level to use their discretion to defuse an emotive issue concering a

very small group. The Home Office take the view that they

have no scope to do what Hong Kong ask.

3.

I attach a line to take and background on this issue.

Milich

PF Ricketts

Mh. Kichalta

Келе

happened.

but it is when

afmind that I do not know what

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of thr. Edwards

someone the

joumble that he approached

doing other toys.

The Cole 22