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forecast levels of postal applications and telephone enquiries
not expected to be very high since there should be little difficulty for applicants from Hong Kong and New Territories in calling at the Consulate-General.
Consular protection services. I understand there are plans to open a Consulate in Canton. If for any reason we do not, it would make sense for the Hong Kong Consulate-General's consular district to be extended to cover much of South China, if the Chinese authorities will permit it. I endorse Consular Department's conclusion that the Consulate-General's consular protection work will consist of looking after expatriate British nationals and servicing the needs of British visitors to the consular district. So far as can be established, the only promises made to British nationals in Hong Kong are to the 50,000 offered British citizenship. In accordance with practice elsewhere, we would not envisage providing consular protection in Hong Kong for British Nationals (Overseas) ordinarily resident there. (If things went very wrong in Hong Kong and BN (O)s were being persecuted by the Chinese authorities, we would have to consider what we could/should do to help. But I do not think we can predicate our consular protection services on the basis of providing instant help to 2.5m Hong Kong BN (0) s if difficulties arose.) Leaving aside the question of political acceptability, I share Consular Department's view that it would be impracticable for the Consulate-General to attempt to maintain a register of BN (0) s in Hong Kong - and to keep such a register could raise unrealistic expectations of protection. On this basis the proposed consular protection establishment of 1xDS7, 1xDS9 with LE support, all under the supervision of the DS5 Consul, would be right.
Work on British Council colocation has been handled by Hong Kong Department.
Rs
Rosemary Spencer
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