CONFIDENTIAL
171532 MDHIAN 7999
CONFIDENTIAL
FM PARIS
TO DESKBY 09170OZ FCO
TELNO 414
OF 091545Z APRIL 90
INFO DESKBY 092359Z HONG KONG
TOP COP Q DIST
нко
ااتي
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
02 MAY 1990
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
PA
INFO IMMEDIATE BTC HONG KONG, JLG HONG KONG INFO PRIORITY WASHINGTON, SINGAPORE
HONG KONG FOR PS/MR MAUDE
1941
YOUR TELNO 615 to WASHINGTON: HONG KONG: INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT
SUMMARY
(©)
1. RECOMMEND AMENDED LINE FOR MR MAUDE TO TAKE IN REFERRING TO THE FRENCH SCHEME.
DETAIL
2. WE HAVE HAD DETAILED DISCUSSIONS WITH QUAI OFFICIALS ABOUT WHETHER HMG SHOULD MENTION THE FRENCH NATURALISATION/LAISSEZ PASSER SCHEME AND, IF SO, IN WHAT TERMS. THE FRENCH HAVE BEEN CONCERNED THAT PUBLICITY FOR THEIR SCHEME WOULD ADVERSELY AFFECT THEIR RELATIONS WITH PEKING. THE QUAI WERE THEREFORE INITIALLY RELUCTANT TO AGREE TO ANY SPECIFIC MENTION OF FRANCE (MY TELNO 248). WE EVENTUALLY PERSUADED FRENCH OFFICIALS TO ACCEPT A FORMULATION SAYING THAT WE UNDERSTOOD THAT SEVERAL COUNTRIES SUCH AS SINGAPORE, FRANCE ETC WERE TAKING MEASURES TO REASSURE ESSENTIAL STAFF WORKING FOR INTERNATIONAL COMPANIES IN HONG KONG (PARA 3 OF MY TELNO 346)
3. AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND IT WOULD BE BETTER FOR MR MAUDE TO RESTRICT HIMSELF TO A GENERAL REFERENCE TO THE FRENCH SCHEME AND OMIT THE PHRASE IN THE FIRST SENTENCE OF PARA 5 OF TUR REFERRING TO THE PROVISION OF PASSPORTS OR RIGHT OF ENTRY FOR 1280 EMPLOYEES. THIS SENTENCE COULD BE ABBREVIATED TO READ QUOTE AS FAR AS OUR EC PARTNERS ARE CONCERNED, THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT ARE HELPFULLY - IMPLEMENTING A SCHEME FOR EMPLOYEES OF FRENCH COMPANIES AND THEIR FAMILIES UNQUOTE. IT WOULD BE REASONABLE FOR MR MAUDE TO RESPOND TO ANY REQUESTS FOR FURTHER INFORMATION BY SAYING THAT THIS IS A MATTER FOR THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT. THIS IS HOW THE FRENCH HAVE TOLD US THEY HOPE THE MATTER WILL BE HANDLED.
4. THE PRECISE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES WHO MIGHT BENEFIT FROM THE FRENCH SCHEME IS IN DOUBT. WE HAVE SEEN ESTIMATES RANGING FROM 500 TO 1500 HEADS OF HOUSEHOLD. WE ARE NOT AWARE OF THE PRECISE BASIS
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