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PERSONALLY, ZDAREK INDICATED THAT HE DID NOT FAVOUR THIS NOMINATION AND THEREFORE HOPED THAT THE PROPOSAL FOR A FULL CONSULATE WOULD RECEIVE A GREEN LIGHT. HE GAVE JACKSON A COPY OF MR LAM'S CV AND ASKED WHETHER WE COULD PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THE SIZE AND TYPE OF MR LAM'S BUSINESS ADDING THAT IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR THE
CZECHS TO GET THIS INFORMATION DIRECTLY AS THEY HAVE NO REPRESENTATIVE IN HONG KONG. JACKSON AGREED TO PASS THE REQUEST
ON. A COPY OF MR LAM'S CV FOLLOWS BY BAG TO HKD AND HONG KONG.
6.
THE
JACKSON ALSO TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO RAISE THE ISSUE OF SETTLEMENT OF HONG KONG NATIONALS IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC (FCO TELNO 337 TO HONG KONG REFERS). ZDAREK SAID THAT THE PROPOSAL TO ALLOW THE SETTLEMENT OF HONG KONG NATIONALS WILLING TO INVEST IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC WAS VERY MUCH A LIVE ISSUE AND INDEED WAS ONE OF THEIR REASONS FOR WANTING TO SET UP A CONSULATE IN HONG KONG. MFA IS PREPARING PROPOSALS FOR THE CZECH MINISTRIES OF THE INTERIOR, TRADE AND ECONOMY. THESE WOULD INCLUDE THE NEED TO CHANGE THE REGULATIONS TO REDUCE THE RESIDENCE REQUIREMENTS FOR SETTLEMENT FROM 5 YEARS AND ADD A CONDITION THAT APPLICANTS SHOULD NOT TAKE OUT ANY OTHER CITIZENSHIPS. (COMMENT: THE CZECHS WISH TO ENCOURAGE WEALTHY HONG KONG CITIZENS TO INVEST IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC NOW, NOT TO PROVIDE A BOLT HOLE FOR THEM AGAINST FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS IN HONG KONG).
JACKSON UNDERTOOK TO PASS ON THIS INFORMATION AND THE CONSULATE PROPOSALS AND TO REPORT BACK TO ZDAREK IN DUE COURSE. ZDAREK ASKED THAT THE CZECH EMBASSY IN LONDON SHOULD NOT BE INVOLVED AT THIS STAGE AS THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS. ONCE THE MFA HAD RECEIVED HMG'S INITIAL RESPONSE THEY WOULD BE HAPPY TO DEAL THROUGH THEIR EMBASSY.
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