COMFIDENTIAL
Mr
HKD
Pain
Rn14,
Miss Marsden
pa. Mr Mory P2 12/1
WI,
HONG KONG : NATIONALITY PACKAGE
From:
R J T McLaren
Date:
10 January 1990
Cc:
PS/Mr Maude
Mr Gillmore
Mr Burns, NAD
HKD 300/4
ком
нко
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
10 APR 1990
DESK OFFICER INDEX
PA
REGISTRY
Action Take!:
1.
When Mr Tom Boehm, the Canadian Minister, called on me on other business this afternoon, he gave me the attached copy of a Press Release containing the Canadian press line for use in response to our announcement of a nationality package for Hong Kong. Though it had been issued some time ago, he understood that we had not yet seen it.
2. After reading swiftly through the paper, I said that it contained a number of statements which we welcomed. But we would wish to return to the charge with the Canadians on the question of a "right of abode programme". We would certainly not wish to suggest to the Canadians that they should cut down on their immigration from Hong Kong. But we did want them to consider seriously the possibility of some additional measures to give the assurance of future right of abode to Hong Kong people without their having to leave the territory. Congressman Solarz was promoting such an idea in the United States; we hoped that the Canadians would consider something similar.
That
3. Mr Boehm said that his High Commissioner had asked for a call on the Secretary of State to discuss Hong Kong soon after Mr Hurd's return from his visit to the territory. would provide an opportunity for the Secretary of State himself to get across the point I had been making. We needed
as many channels as possible to get our message over
to Ottawa.
fm
MC6AAT
CONFIDENTIAL
RJT McLaren
15