RESTRICTED
HKB 020/26
10t
107275
MDLIAN 4798
RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG
TO ROUTINE FCO
TELNO 2574
OF 220521Z AUGUST 90
RECF
24 AUG 1990
INFO ROUTINE PEKING, HK GOVERNMENT LONDON
TOP COPY Q DIST?
FOR HKD
HONG KONG RESIDENTS IN IRAQ/KUWAIT: CHINESE MAKE SOME HAY.
1. THE FIRST HK RESIDENT TO ESCAPE FROM KUWAIT MR ALBERT LAM, DID SO VIA IRAQ AND JORDAN AFTER THE CHINESE EMBASSY IN BAGHDAD CERTIFIED HIM AS A CHINESE NATIONAL. HE ARRIVED BACK IN HK ON 16 AUGUST.
2. NCNA HERE HAVE PLAYED UP THIS EVENT ZHOU NAN HAS REPEATEDLY
STRESSED THAT CHINA WOULD WHERE POSSIBLE ASSIST HK RESIDENTS STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND THAT THEY WOULD BE INCLUDED IN AN EVACUATION OF CHINESE NATIONALS FROM THE REGION. HE POINTED OUT THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAS MADE CLEAR IN ITS MEMORANDUM TO
THE JD THAT IN ACCORDANCE WITH CHINESE NATIONALITY LAWS ALL HK CHINESE, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY WERE BDTC PASSPORT HOLDERS OR NOT, WERE CHINESE NATIONALS. NCNA HAVE SO FAR RECEIVED 17 REQUESTS FROM RELATIVES OF HK RESIDENTS STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE
EAST ASKING FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE.
3. ALL THIS HAS BEEN WELL COVERED IN THE HK PRESS. MING PAO HAS
QUOTED A CHINESE DIPLOMAT AS SAYING THAT THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT CHINA HAD OPENLY OFFERED TO ASSIST THE DEPARTURE OF HK RESIDENTS FROM A WAR ZONE. IT IS BEING SAID THAT THE MOVE IS A RESPONSE TO THE BRITISH NATIONALITY PACKAGE, BUT THE HK ECONOMIC
TIMES QUOTED A CHINESE SOURCE DENYING THIS.
M
4 THE CHINESE HAVE ALSO ASSISTED IN THE ESCAPE OF A NUMBER OF
TAIWANESE RESIDENTS OF KUWAIT AND BAGHDAD. THIS HAS CAUSED SOME EMBARRASSMENT TO THE TAIWAN AUTHORITIES WHO HAVE SAID THAT, ALTHOUGH THEY ARE GRATEFUL TO OTHER NATIONS FOR ASSISTING TAIWANESE IN DISTRESS, THEY WOULD NOT BE THANKING THE CHINESE FOR THEIR ACTIONS IN THIS REGARD.
5. IN RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS WE ARE TAKING A POSITIVE LINE, SAYING THAT NATURALLY HKG IS GRATEFUL FOR ALL EFFORTS MADE ON BEHALF OF