RESTRICTED
FM EAST BERLIN
TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELNO 544
OF 11150OZ SEPTEMBER 90
AND TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
YOUR TELSNOS 235 AND 239:
PEOPLE
SUMMARY
RESTRICTED
HKD 340/1
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
12 SEP 1990
DESK OFFICER INDEX
PA
M1219
Int. Sup
1349
000705
MDHIAN 8332
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
EAST GERMAN CITIZENSHIP FOR HONG KONG
1. GDR GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN HAS CONFIRMED THAT AN AGREEMENT HAS
BEEN SIGNED BETWEEN THE GDR GOVERNMENT AND 52 HONG KONG CHINESE
ON NATURALISATION IN RETURN FOR LONG-TERM CAPITAL INVESTMENT IN
THE GDR. HE DENIED REPORTS THAT THIS NUMBER HAD BEEN INCREASED TO 10,000.
DETAIL
2.
THE GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN CONFIRMED ON 10 SEPTEMBER THAT A DECISION HAD BEEN TAKEN BY THE GDR CABINET ON 15 APRIL TO OFFER NATURALISATION TO 52 HONG KONG CHINESE IN RETURN FOR LONG-TERM CAPTIAL INVESTMENT IN THE GDR, BUT ADDED THAT THIS OFFER WOULD NOT (REPEAT NOT) BE EXTENDED TO MORE THAN THESE 52. THE GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES WHO HAD MENTIONED QUOTE UP TO 10,000 UNQUOTE HONG KONG CHINESE IN THE AGREEMENT HAD OVERSTEPPED THEIR COMPETENCE AND BEEN REMOVED FROM THEIR POSTS.
COMMENT
3. GEHLER'S STATEMENT WAS MADE AMIDST CONSIDERABLE EMBARRASSMENT
AMONG GOVERNMENT CIRCLES. WE BELIEVE THAT INTERIOR MINISTRY
OFFICIALS IN THEIR EAGERNESS TO ACQUIRE INVESTMENT FOR THE GDR
SIGNED AN AGREEMENT WHICH ENVISAGED NATURALISATION OF UP TO 10,000 HONG KONG CHINESE PREPARED TO INVEST UP TO DM 15 BILLION IN THEIR NEW HOMELAND. EACH WAS TO DEPOSIT 1.5 MILLION MARKS IN A
SWISS BANK AND SIGN A COMMITMENT THAT THIS MONEY WAS TO BE INVESTED IN THE GDR. PRESS REPORTS SAY THE DEAL HAD BEEN ARRANGED VIA A SPANISH MIDDLE MAN ARTURO SELIGRAT AND HIS FRG PARTNER JOSEPH STOPPE. OTHER REPORTS SUGGEST THAT THESE TWO ARE CONFIDENCE TRICKSTERS AND THAT GDR OFFICIALS (AND PERHAPS A LOT OF CHINESE) HAVE BEEN CAUGHT IN A SCAM. THE FACT THAT THE OFFICIALS CONCERNED HAVE BEEN SACKED SUGGESTS THAT THEY ARE SUSPECTED OF MORE THAN OVERZEALOUSNESS.
4. THERE IS SOME DOUBT NOW THAT NATURALISATION PROCEDURES FOR
1
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