GRS 170
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO DESK BY 13120OZ FCO
TELNO 132
OF 131015Z JANUARY 86
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
18
CONFIDENTIAL
HKR 007/5
TOP COPY
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY 14 JAN 1986
INDIA
MY TELNO 106: MR RENTON'S PRESS CONFERENCE :
? 1
Taken
AJB THE
1. THE SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST OF JANUARY 11 CARRIED A FRONT PAGE
ARTICLE MINORITIES ARE OUT IN THE COLD. THIS REFERS TO LETTERS
WRITTEN BY MINISTERS TO MPS (INCLUDING LETTERS FROM MR WADDINGTON
TO MR JAMES PRIOR SEMICOLON AND FROM MR RENTON TO LABOUR MP DR JOHN MARRECK OF NOVEMBER 22) WHICH INDICATE THAT HMG BELIEVE THAT THE RIGHT COURSE FOR THOSE WHO HAVE PERMANENTLY SETTLED IN WHAT WILL BE
PART OF CHINA IS FOR THEM TO OPT TO BECOME CHINESE NATIONALS
SEMICOLON AND THAT THIS WAS A MATTER BEING PURSUED WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT. THE REPORT INDICATES THAT THE INDIAN COMMUNITY HAVE GAINED THE IMPRESSION FROM THE NCNA THAT THE CHINESE BELIEVE BRITAIN SHOULD BE RESPONSABLE FOR THE MINORITIES AND THE PAPER FINDS CONFIRMATION OF THIS IN THE COMMENTARY IN THE WEN WE PO (TEXT PN MY TELNO 104).
2. IT COULD THEREFORE WELL BE THAT AT HIS PRESS CONFERENCE IN HONG KONG MR RENTON WILL BE ASKED WHETHER HE RAISED THIS ISSUE AGAIN WITH THE CHINESE DURING HIS VISHT AND WHAT RESPONSE HE GOT.
YOUDE
HONG KONG AGREEMENT: NATIONALITY
- COPIES TO:
LIMITED
HD/HKD
HD/FED
HD/NTD - HD/NEWS D
RESEARCH D (MR WALKER)
DEP HD/PUSD
PS
PS/R RENTON
PS/PUS
SIR W HARDING MR WILSON
MR ROBERTS, NEWS DEPT MR FIFOOT,
LEGAL ADVISERS
MR GRAINGER, LEGAL ADVISERS
MR D MCDOUGALL, MVD
MR HYDE, HOME OFFICE
MR EMERY, B4 DIV, HOME OFFICE, CROYDON
MR NICHOLSON, PASSPORT DEPT, HOME OFFICE
ROOM 236, CLIVE HOUSE.
MR MCDONOUGH, B2 DIV, HOME OFFICE
MR WOOD LEGAL ADVISERS
CONFIDENTIAL
35.