05 MAR '93 16:30 HOME OFFICE SOU 051 231 1373
P.2
for
7. If Mr Wardle agrees, we
shall tell the Secretary Security that the issue has been considered afresh here by Ministers following the 18 November debate and the recent visits by LegCo members, but that HMG cannot agree to introduce fresh legislation to give British citizenship to the ethnic minorities : their position in Hong Kong is secure; neither they nor their children or grandchildlen will be stateless; they are eligible for the British Nationality Scheme (and some have been successful); and the Government stands by its undertaking to consider their case for admission to the UK with particular sympathy if, contrary to expectations, they were to come under severe pressure to leave Hong Kong.
8. The Hong Kong Government think that
that they will have
have to
undertake to put the case back to HMG after the debate and seek a Ministerial response. We cannot object to that. (The official members of LegCo will abstain in the vote).
9.
I should be grateful to know whether Mr Wardle endorses this
approach.
CJ KELLY