UNCLASSIFIED
MB 33
41
150150
MDLIAN 6159
UNCLASSIFIED
FM NEW DELHI
TO ROUTINE FCO
TELNO 383
OF 081148Z APRIL 93
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG, PEKING
LEGCO DEBATE ON ETHNIC MINORITIES:
TOP COPY Q DIST?
33
HONG KONG TELNO 494 TO FCO
1 PARA 12 OF TUR ASKED FOR CONFIRMATION OF REMARKS ATTRIBUTED
·
TO THE INDIAN MINISTER FOR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS ABOUT ETHNIC MINORITIES OF INDIAN EXTRACTION IN HONG KONG. WE ASSUME THIS IS A REFERENCE TO A PARLIAMENTARY ANSWER BY DINESH SINGH, THE MINISTER FOR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS, GIVEN ON 22 MARCH, WHICH READ AS FOLLOWS:
'THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 22,500 INDIAN NATIONALS AND PERSONS OF INDIAN ORIGIN RESIDENT IN HONG KONG. OF THESE, APPROXIMATELY 17,500 ARE INDIAN CITIZENS CHOLDING INDIAN PASSPORTS) AND THE REST HOLD EITHER BDTC OR BN (0) PASSPORTS ISSUED BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT.
AFTER HONG KONG REVERTS TO CHINESE SOVEREIGNTY ON 1 JULY 1997, THOSE PERSONS WHO CAN SHOW PROOF OF SEVEN YEARS OF CONTINUOUS RESIDENCE IN HONG KONG ARE ENTITLED TO PERMANENT IDENTITY CARDS PROVIDING THEM WITH THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN HONG KONG. MOST BDTC AND BN (0) PASSPORT HOLDERS ARE EXPECTED TO QUALIFY. GOVERNMENT
OF INDIA WILL CONTINUE TO EXTEND CONSULAR PROTECTION TO THE INDIAN CITIZENS (HOLDING INDIAN PASSPORTS) RESIDING IN HONG KONG.
REGARDING THE QUESTION OF NATIONALITY OF PERSONS OF INDIAN ORIGIN HOLDING BDTC AND BN (0) PASSPORTS, GOVERNMENT HAVE RAISED THIS MATTER WITH THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS. IT HAS BEEN THE CONSISTENT POSITION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAS BASIC RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS THIS GROUP OF PERSONS AND THAT IT SHOULD TAKE THE NECESSARY STEPS TO SAFEGUARD THE STATUS OF THESE PERSONS AS BRITISH CITIZENS. THE BRITISH SIDE HAVE THE GIVEN THE ASSURANCE THAT THEY WOULD CONSIDER IT AN OBLIGATION UPON ANY FUTURE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO TREAT WITH CONSIDERABLE AND PARTICULAR SYMPATHY THE CASE FOR ADMISSION TO THE UNITED KINGDOM OF ANY BRITISH NATIONAL, WHO, AGAINST ALL PRESENT EXPECTATIONS, CAME UNDER PRESSURE TO LEAVE HONG KONG. GOVERNMENT HAVE ALSO SEEN REPORTS QUOTING A SENIOR CHINESE OFFICIAL THAT THIS GROUP OF PERSONS DID HAVE THE OPTION OF
1
PAGE UNCLASSIFIED
RE
HICD 348/6
20 APR 1993