SOSAAP
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CALL ON MR MAUDE BY A DELEGATION FROM THE COUNCIL OF HONG KONG
INDIAN ASSOCATIONS, 16 OCTOBER
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Background
1. The main concern of the non-Chinese ethnic minorities in Hong
Kong is that they could become stateless after 1997.
They claim
that they will be in a particularly vulnerable position after 1997
because the Chinese Memorandum associated with the Joint Declaration
states that "Hong Kong Chinese compatriots" will be considered by
the Chinese Government to be Chinese nationals, but makes no
provision for the non-Chinese.
2. The new status of British National (Overseas) which was created
under the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Order 1986 is not
transmissible to the holder's children. In recognition of the
potential vulnerability of the non-Chinese ethnic minorities in Hong
Kong
(a) Provision was made for ethnic minorities who might otherwise be
stateless, to be granted British Overseas Citizenship for two
generations beyond 1997;
(b) Lord Glenarthur gave an assurance in the House of Lords on 16
May 1986 that
"We should consider it an obligation upon any future
government to treat with very considerable and particular
sympathy the case for admission to the United Kingdom of any individual British national who, against all our expectations,
came under pressure to leave Hong Kong."
But despite this assurance the non-Chinese ethnic minorities have
continued to press for British citizenship and right of abode in
this country.
3. The ethnic minorities are also concerned that they may not be eligible for right of abode in the Hong Kong SAR. Article 24(4) of
the draft Basic Law provides that "Persons who are not of Chinese
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