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MARCO 34014
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312
0 1 JUN 1990
From:
PS/Mr MauESK OFFICER
INDEX
PA
Action Take.
Date:
5 Apri
CC:
PS
Mr McLaren
Mr Whitehead, News Dept Mr Lidington
Mr Fraser
HONG KONG: NATIONALITY
1. Mr Maude telephoned Henry Keswick, Chairman of the Hong Kong Association, this morning to say that it would be helpful if the Association could put out a supportive statement on the Nationality Bill. Mr Keswick said that he would do so immediately.
2.
Mr Keswick said that he had written to Mr Lloyd to express his concern that the senior British Trade Commissioner in Hong Kong should be on the Selection Committee. Mr Maude said that the composition of the selection committee had not yet been decided; the problem of including Mr Heap was that it might lay the process open to judicial review here.
3.
Mr Maude also telephoned Rosanna Tam in Hong Kong. He explained reactions here to the publication of the Bill, and how a positive statement from OMELCO would help. Without support from Hong Kong for the Bill, opponents here would argue that even Hong Kong thought it not enough, and therefore not worth doing. A simple, clear message from OMELCO would be most helpful, to the effect that the Bill's provisions would help to stem the brain-drain and that it would be disastrous for Hong Kong if it were defeated. OMELCO might issue a statement along these lines in response to reports of reactions in the UK about the possibility that the Bill might be defeated.
4.
Miss Tam thought that it would be possible to do this, but that she would need to consult her OMELCO colleagues tomorrow; it should be possible to issue a statement on Friday morning.
Nicola Braver
Nicola Brewer
Private Secretary to
Mr Francis Maude
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