ار است به الجمعية اللات
GRS 350
UNCLASSIFIED
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 104
OF 10044OZ JANUARY 86
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
NATIONALITY ORDER IN COUNCIL : ETHNIC MINOPITIES :
PRESS COMMENT.
FULL TRANSLATION OF A COMMENTARY IN WEN WEI PO, A LEADING LEFT-
WING DAILY, ON 7 JANUARY IS REPEATED BELOW.
BEGINS
**HEADLINE: THE QUESTION OF NATIONALITY OF ETHNIC IND FANS
TEXT:
THE LOCAL INDIAN COMMUNITY HAS DECIDED TO SEND TWO
REPRESENTATIVES TO THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT TO LOBBY (MPS). THEY
WILL FIGHT FOR THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S RECOGNITION OF THE STATUS OF THE 10,000 PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT ETHNIC CHINESE, INCLUDING INDIANS, AS BRITISH CITIZENS. IT IS DIFFICULT TO SAY AT THIS STAGE WHAT RESULTS THEIR LONDON VISIT WILL YEILD. BUT AT LEAST, IT WILL DRAW THE ATTENTION OF LONDON AND VARIOUS PEOPLE. IT IS
ALSO A NEW ITEM THAT DESERVES THE ATTENTION OF HK PEOPLE.
IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE THAT THESE PEOPLE SHOULD GO TO BRITAIN TO FIGHT (FOR THEIR INTERESTS) BECAUSE AFTER 1997, THEIR BOC PASSPORTS WILL, IN REALITY, BE MERELY A TRAVEL DOCUMENT. IN PRACTICE, THE DOCUMENT WILL NOT CARRY A NATIONALITY. AS THE REPRESENTATIVES HAVE SAID, THEY DO NOT INTEND TO LEAVE HK TO SETTLE AND WORK IN
BRITAIN. BUT THEY DO NOT WANT THEMSELVES AND THEIR DESCENDANTS TO BECOME STATELESS.`
ONE CANNOT ISOLATE THIS QUESTION FROM HISTORY. NEITHER CAN ONE DEPART FROM REALTY. ALL ALONG, THESE PEOPLE HOLD BRITISH
PASSPORTS. IT IS UNACCEPTABLE TO THEM IF THEYS ARE RENDERED
STATELESS BY CHANGES (TO THE BRITISH NATIONALITY LAWS).''
ENDS.
YOUDE
LIMITED
HKD
SIR. W.HARDING
FED
NTD
NEWS.D.
MR. WILSON