TNAG-2955-FCO40-4232-Extradition-cases-from-the-UK-and-France-to-Hong-Kong-Lorrai-1993 — Page 88

UNCLASSIFIED

FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 2009OOZ FCO TELNO 3538

OF 19170OZ SEPTEMBER 87

AND TO DESKBY 20010OZ

MANILA

AND TO DESKBY 210100Z PEKING

UNCLASSIFIED

100364

MDHIAN 3701

TOP COPY Q DIST ?

i

PART THREE OF FOUR

LORD GLENARTHUR,

I Q. (EMILY LAU, FAR EASTERN ECONOMIC REVIEW): WANT TO ASK YOU A QUESTION ON BRITISH NATIONALITY. WHEN YOU SPOKE IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS DEBATE IN JANUARY 1986 ON THE HONG KONG ACT 1985, YOU SAID SOME HONG KONG CIVIL SERVANTS MAY BE ABLE TO APPLY FOR BRITISH NATIONALITY UNDER SECTION 4 (5) OF THE BRITISH NATION- ALITY ACT 1981. IS IT TRUE THAT AT THAT TIME THE BRITISH GOVERN- MENT GAVE AN UNDERTAKING TO THE 300-0DD ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS IN HONG KONG THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO APPLY FOR BRITISH NATION- ALITY UNDER THAT PROVISION AND ALSO HOW MANY HONG KONG CIVIL SERVANTS HAVE APPLIED FOR BRITISH NATIONALITY AND HOW MANY HAVE BEEN GRANTED?

A:

WELL, I RECALL THAT PARTICULAR DEBATE AND A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT

CERTAIN PEOPLE, YES, WILL BE ABLE THINGS THAT WE DISCUSSED IN IT. TO APPLY UNDER 4 (5). I CAN'T GIVE YOU THE NUMBERS AND I AM NOT PREPARED TO GO INTO GREATER DETAIL THAN I STATED DURING THE DEBATE WHICH WAS HELD THEN, THOSE WORDS HOLD JUST AS MUCH WATER AS THEY DID ON THAT OCCASION. I CAN'T GO INTO SPECIFIC DETAILS, I AM AFRAID.

Q.

(EMILY LAU): BUT DO YOU NOT OWE IT TO THE 300 ODD AOS AND ALSO TO THE HONG KONG PEOPLE TO TELL US WHO EXACTLY WILL BE ABLE TO APPLY FOR BRITISH NATIONALITY BECAUSE THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT SUBJECT TO HONG KONG PEOPLE?

A: WELL, I REALISE THAT BUT I THINK YOU HAVE GOT TO UNDERSTAND THAT

THAT ASSURANCE THE ASSURANCE THAT I GAVE WAS A VALID ASSURANCE. STANDS. BUT I AM AFRAID I CAN'T GO INTO THE DETAILS IN THE WAY THAT YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO.

Q. CEMILY LAU): BUT YOU MENTIONED THAT IN CONSIDERING THESE APPLICATIONS, ONE KEY FACTOR WOULD BE THE QUALITY OF SERVICE. DOES THAT MEAN. LORD GLENARTHUR?

WHAT

1

PAGE UNCLASSIFIED