CONFIDENTIAL
FM BTC HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY
TELNO 85
FCO
OF 130023Z MARCH 91
CONFIDENTIAL
CORRECTED VERSION
ERSION HKD
340/4
118
157761 MDLIAN 5440
j 14/3
TOP COPY Q DIST?
CORRECTED VERSION
YRTELNO 458 AND HONG KONG TELNO 759: PRESS COVERAGE ON BRITISH NATIONALITY SCHEME
1. I AGREE WITH SECOND TUR THAT IT IS MOST UNLIKELY THAT ANY SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF PEOPLE HERE THOUGHT THAT THE PASSPORTS ON OFFER WERE ONLY TRAVEL DOCUMENTS. THE REASONS FOR THE LOW TURN- OUT IN MY VIEW WERE A) LESSENED PRESSURE TO FIND AN ESCAPE ROUTE AS THE EVENTS OF TIANNAMEN SQUARE FADED FURTHER INTO THE DISTANCE, B) THE WIDELY HELD PERCEPTION THAT ONLY THE VERY HIGHLY QUALIFIED WITHIN THE VERY LIMITED AGE BAND WOULD STAND A CHANCE, C) THE COMPLEXITY OF THE APPLICATION PROCESS WITH ITS LENGTHY APPLICATION FORM AND THE PUBLICITY GIVEN TO THE LAWYERS AND OTHER EXPERT ADVISER WHO WERE HELPING MANY CANDIDATES MASTER THE EXPLANATORY MANUALS AS WELL AS ASSIST IN COMPLETING THE FORM AND D) WITHIN THE RELATIVELY SMALL SLICE OF THE POPULATION WHO THOUGHT THEMSELVES REASONABLY WELL QUALIFIED FOR THESE PASSPORTS, A HIGH PERCENTAGE ALREADY HAD OTHER PASSPORTS OR ACCESS TO THEM AS WELL AS AS FAMILIES AND FRIENDS ALREADY IN CANADA, AUSTRALIA, THE UNITED STATES AND NEW ZEALAND PROVIDING MORE OF AN URGE TO JOIN THEM THAN TO GO TO THE UK. THAT THE SCHEME IN THE END PRODUCED A SURPLUS OF APPLICANTS OVER THE NUMBER OF PASSPORTS ON OFFER WAS NOT I SUSPECT BECAUSE OF THE PRIOR PLANNING OF MANY APPLICANTS TO PUT IN THEIR FORMS AT THE VERY END, BUT WAS MORE BECAUSE OF THE PUBLICITY GIVEN IN THE FEW DAYS IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THE DEADLINE TO THE SCHEME BEING UNDERSUBSCRIBED. AT ONE POINT IT LOOKED POSSIBLE THAT THERE COULD BE FEWER APPLICANTS THAN PASSPORTS AVAILABLE AND THAT ALL APPLICANTS THEREFORE MIGHT GET ONE. THIS I THINK PRODUCED ITS OWN RUSH IN THE LAST FEW DAYS THAT TOOK THE NUMBERS COMFORTABLY ABOVE THE NUMBER OF PASSPORTS AVAILABLE.
HEAP
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CONFIDENTIAL