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Have been personally involved: several face-to-face and telephone discussions with President Bush.
I am very
pleased for Hong Kong that MFN now likely to be renewed.
But this is not the end of the road. Need to
continue to work together, and with China, in the months
and years ahead.
Nationality
I enclose a background paper on the British
Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1990 (Annex F). The first
tranche of the scheme (about 43,000 places of the total
50,000 principal beneficiaries) was 50% over-subscribed.
Applications are now being processed, and the first few
certificates of registration as British citizens have
already been issued. If questioned about this, the Prime Minister might say:
-
Understand processing of first tranche going
smoothly. Places in under-subscribed categories will be
re-allocated to second tranche (timing not yet set, but
nearer 1997);
-
Believe scheme has helped restore confidence in the
public and private sectors. Also had catalyst effect in
encouraging other countries to come up with similar
schemes;
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(Defensive) A scheme for all Hong Kong people would not have been feasible: could not expect future Governments to accept such an immigration commitment.
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