CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
TELNO 1216
OF 28150OZ JUNE 91
CONFIDENTIAL
187
021246
MDLOAN 6021
HKD 340 TOP COPY
RECEIVere ན་
16 JUL 1991 Q DIST?
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
PA
HK TELNO 1917: BRITISH NATIONALITY SCHEME: FINAL APPLICATION FIGURES
1. WE NOTE THAT THE TEXT OF YOUR PRESS RELEASE OF 24 JUNE REPEATED THE LINE IN TUR THAT YOU EXPECT TO BE ABLE TO ISSUE CERTIFICATES OF REGISTRATION TO THE FIRST BATCH OF SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS FROM ALL FOUR CLASSES AROUND THE MIDDLE OF JULY. WE HAVE LEARNED FROM THE HOME OFFICE HOWEVER, THAT THE FIRST REGISTRATIONS UNDER THE 1990 ACT WERE COMPLETED ON 24 MAY AND THAT THE TOTAL REGISTERED AS AT 25 JUNE WAS 286. WE UNDERSTAND THAT PAGE OF THE HOME OFFICE NATIONALITY TEAM CHONT) HAS INFORMED HKID THAT, IF ASKED, HE WILL CONFIRM THAT SOME SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN REGISTERED AS BRITISH CITIZENS.
2.
WE ASSUME THAT THERE IS A GOOD REASON FOR YOUR RETICENCE ABOUT PUBLICITY AT THIS STAGE, (POSSIBLY CONNECTED WITH THE FACT THAT ALL THE INITIAL BENEFICIARIES COME FROM THE SENSITIVE SERVICE CLASS QUERY). IT WOULD CLEARLY BE UNHELPFUL IF THE PRESS WERE TO OBTAIN INFORMATION FROM THE HONT WHICH WAS AT ODDS WITH
YOUR PUBLIC LINE. GRATEFUL FOR CLARIFICATION SO THAT WE MAY ADVISE THE HOME OFFICE ON WHAT LINE PAGE SHOULD TAKE IN RESPONSE
TO PRESS ENQUIRIES.
HURD
YYYY
DISTRIBUTION
30
ΜΑΙΝ
27
LIMITED
HKD
NEWS D
PS/LORD CAITHNESS SIR J COLES
MR BURNS
PAGE
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CONFIDENTIAL