XN000022-1989-12-21 — Page 3

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1989

AS HAS OFTEN BEEN SUGGESTED, WE GAVE THE RIGHT OF ABODE TO ALL BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZENS IN HONG KONG, WE COULD IF THAT RIGHT WAS EXERCISED CREATE UNACCEPTABLE STRAINS HERE. IF, ON THE OTHER RAND, WI KEPT THE SCHEME TOO NARROW, IT WOULD PAIL IN ITS PURPOSE AND AT THE END OF THE DAY WE MIGHT BE FACED WITH A MUCH MORE SEVERE PROBLEM.

"AFTER CAREFUL AND DETAILED CONSIDERATION OVER SEVERAL MONTHS, WE HAVE CONCLUDED THAT THE ASSURANCE TO BE GIVEN SHOULD TAKE THE FORM OF FULL BRITISH CITIZENSHIP WHICH WOULD BE AWARDED TO RECIPIENTS WITHOUT THEIR HAVING TO LEAVE HONG KONG.

WILL COVER A MAXIMUM NUMBER OF 50,000 HOUSEHOLDS.

THE SCHEME

INITIALLY;

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IN FOR

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"NOT ALL THE ASSURANCES WOULD BE DISTRIBUTED ORDER TO SPREAD THE ADMINISTRATIVE LOAD AND TO GIVE OPPORTUNITIES THOSE WHO MAY MOVE INTO KEY POSITIONS IN HONG KONG IN LATER YEARS SHALL HOLD BACK A PROPORTION OF THE ALLOCATION FOR LATER IN THE LIFE OF THIS SCHEME. THE BEST CURRENT ESTIMATE OF THE TOTAL NUMBERS OF PEOPLE, INCLUDING DEPENDENTS, WHO MIGHT RECEIVE BRITISH CITIZENSHIP IN THIS WAY IS 225,000. THE SCHEME WOULD CEASE BY 1997, AND IT IS THUS STRICTLY LIMITED IN SCOPE AND TIME.

"BENEFICIARIES WILL BE SELECTED ON THE BASIS OF A POINTS. SYSTEM WHICH WILL EMBRACE PEOPLE FROM A WIDE RANGE OF WALKS OF LIFE IN HONG KONG, IT WILL COVER PROFESSIONAL AND BUSINESS PEOPLE, PEOPLE WORKING IN EDUCATIONAL AND HEALTH SERVICES AND THOSE WITH PARTICULAR TECHNICAL AND MANAGERIAL SKILLS AS WELL AS THOSE IN THE PUBLIC AND DISCIPLINED SERVICES. THE DECISIVE CRITERIA WILL BE THE VALUE OF THE INDIVIDUALS' SERVICE TO HONG KONG AND THE EXTENT

TO WHICH PEOPLE IN THEIR CATEGORY OF EMPLOYMENT ARE EMIGRATING.

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"PROVISION WILL ALSO BE MADE WITHIN THE OVERALL TOTAL FOR THOSE WHO,

BY VIRTUE OF THEIR POSITION, MAY FIND THEMSELVES VULNERABLE IN THE YEARS AHEAD. LONG SERVICE WITH BRITISH INSTITUTIONS IN HONG KONG WILL BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT AND 80 WILL KNOWLEDGE OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE.

"IN ADDITION TO THIS SCHEME DUT AGAIN WITHIN THE TOTAL NUMBERS 1 HAVE GIVEN, THE GOVERNMENT PROPOSE TO INTRODUCE A SPECIAL MEASURE WHICH IS DESIGNED TO HELP COMPANIES AND INSTITUTIONS IN HONG KONG то RETAIN THEIR KEY PERSONNEL. WE INTEND TO REDUCE SUBSTANTIALLY THE PERIOD OF RESIDENCE IN THIS COUNTRY WHICH EMPLOYEES OF SUCH ORGANISATIONS WOULD HAVE TO FULFIL IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE SETTLED STATUS AND LATER CITIZENSHIP. FOR THOSE ACCEPTED ON THIS SCHEME, EMPLOYMENT OR SERVICE IN HONG KONG TOGETHER WITH A PERIOD OF RESIDENCE IN THE UK WOULD AFTER A TOTAL PERIOD OF 5 YEARS RESULT IN CITIZENSHIP. THE COMPANIES AND INSTITUTIONS CONCERNED WOULD ARRANGE SECONDMENTS OF KEY PERSONNEL FOR WORK OR TRAINING IN THE UNITED KINGDOM FOR RELATIVELY SHORT PERIODS OF TIME, THEREBY MINIMISING ANY DISRUPTION TO THEIR WORK IN HONG KONG.

/"WE INTEND