CONFIDENTIAL
9628
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THE NEXT CENTURY BY WHICH TIME THE LINK WITH BRITAIN WILL BE MORE
THAN TENUOUS AND MANY YEARS WILL HAVE PASSED DURING WHICH SOMEONE
OF INDIAN DESCENT LIVING IN HONG KONG WILL HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
APPLY FOR CHINESE CITIZENSHIP IF HE SO WISHES. THERE IS OF
COURSE NO QUESTION OF ANY BEING COMPELLED TO BECOME A CHINESE
NATIONAL AND IN THE UNLIKELY EVENT OF ANY BRITISH NATIONALS BEING
FORCED TO LEAVE HONG KONG AND HAVING NOWHERE TO GO WE HAVE MADE
IT CLEAR THAT WE WOULD EXPECT THE GOVERNMENT OF THE DAY TO
CONSIDER SYMPATHETICALLY WHETHER TO ADMIT THEM ON A CASE BY CASE
BASIS IN THE LIGHT OF THE PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES.
5.
HONG KONG BDTCS OF WHATEVER ETHNIC ORIGIN DO NOT HAVE THE
RIGHT OF ABODE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM: SIMILARLY BN(0) STATUS WILL
NOT CARRY WITH IT THE RIGHT OF ABODE HERE. THE COUNCIL OF HONG
KONG INDIAN ASSOCIATIONS AND THOSE LOBBYING FOR THOSE OF INDIAN
EXTRACTION SAY THAT THE LATTER HAVE NO INTENTION OF COMING TO THE
UNITED KINGDOM AND INTEND TO REMAIN IN HONG KONG: BUT GRANTING
THEIR CLAIM WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE HAD LITTLE FAITH IN THE
UNDERTAKINGS GIVEN BY THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT AND IN THE SECURITY
OF THE ARRANGEMENTS AFTER 1997. IT MIGHT WELL ALSO LEAD TO
CLAIMS FOR SIMILAR TREATMENT TO BE GIVEN TO OTHER GROUPS AMONG THE THREE AND A QUARTER MILLION OTHER HONG KONG BDTCS, OR INDEED TO ALL HONG KONG BDTCS, SO THAT THEY HAD THE RIGHT TO SETTLE IN
THIS COUNTRY.
6.
THE INDIAN COMMUNITY SAY THEY DO NOT WANT TO COME TO
BRITAIN. THEY SAY THAT WHAT THEY WANT IS THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN
HONG KONG, BUT THAT THEY WILL BE DEPENDENT FOR IT ON THE GOODWILL OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WHO, IF THEY DO NOT BECOME CHINESE
NATIONALS WILL NOT HAVE ANY REAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEM. AS A
RESULT THEY ASK FOR BRITISH CITIZENSHIP. BUT IF WE DID GIVE THEM
BRITISH CITIZENSHIP THAT WOULD (NEXT WORD UNDERLINED) NOT GIVE
THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN (NEXT TWO WORDS UNDERLINED) HONG KONG
AFTER 1997.
IT IS NOT WITHIN THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S POWER TO
GRANT SUCH A RIGHT. IT IS HOWEVER, GUARANTEED TO THEM BY THE
JOINT DECLARATION.
7.
CONFERRING BRITISH CITIZENSHIP RATHER THAN BN (0) OR BOC CITIZENSHIP ON THE HONG KONG INDIAN COMMUNITY WOULD NOT BENEFIT
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CONFIDENTIAL