21-SEP-1993 12:02
34 IND LIVERPOOL
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P.05
QUEEN ANNE'S GATE LONDON SWIH 9AT
14 SEP 1993
Dew Lady Dunn
Thank you for your letter of 27 July about British citizenship for Hong Kong's ethnic minorities.
I have considered very carefully what was said in the debate on this subject in the House of Lords on 15 July and the views of the Executive Council expressed in your letter.
I recognise the strength of feeling on this issue, but I remain of the view that I would not be justified in promoting legislation to give the ethnic minorities British citizenship. I cannot see that anything of substance has changed since this matter was considered in some depth in the debates on the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1990. It was decided then not to make special legislative provision for the ethnic minorities, and I can see no grounds for changing our policy on this issue. An announcement to this effect was made on my behalf by Charles Wardle in answer to a Parliamentary Question on 26 July (a copy of which I enclose).
I stand by the assurances that have been given to the ethnic minorities but I am afraid that I cannot go beyond that.
I am copying this letter to the Governor and to Alastair Goodlad at the Foreign Office.
The Baroness Dunn
Director
John Swire & Sons (HK) Ltda
Swire House
9 Connaught Road
Hong Kong
fuu
sincerely
Ливаев Нишл
MICHAEL HOWARD