CONFIDENTIAL
British High Commission
New Delhi 1100-21
Telegrams Ukrep New Delhi
Telephone 601371
B E Cleghorn Esq
SAD
FCO
HKK049/18 Reid
id in Reg.
on
68
18/3.
Your reference
Our reference
Date
13 March 1985
Dear Brune
HONG KONG INDIANS
1. The question of the nationality status under the Hong Kong Agreement of people of Indian origin in Hong Kong is being followed with interest in the press here. Some Indians see Britain's treatment of these people as an indicator of how seriously we take Indian concerns and interests more generally. You will not be surprised that the general consensus so far is that the Hong Kong Indians have been given a rough deal under the terms of the Agreement, and that Britain has not been living up to its responsibility towards them. Some press comment has suggested that the Prime Minister will take this up with Mrs Thatcher when they meet on 13 April. ! We do not consider this at all likely, but the fact that it
has been suggested shows how much importance some sections of 1 Indian opinion attach to the issue.
2. We are not at present entirely clear about what HMG intends to do about the Hong Kong Indians. The Agreement talks about them being given some new nationality status. Has this yet been worked out? The decision to accord a new status appears to preclude the status of British Overseas Citizenship. If this is correct it would be useful to us, in dealing with enquiries, to know why BOC status was rejected, and what aspects of it would be different in the new status. It seems clear that the new status would not confer right of abode in Britain? If so, is it expected that they will stay in Hong Kong?
3. Please keep us fully informed about developments on this subject, which is very likely to be raised in the Indian Parliament, and on which we are almost certain to be asked about HMG's intentions. We shall need to give full and reasoned explanations for our policy if we are to overcome the predisposition to attribute our actions to racial prejudice against Indians, and any examples which show that non-Indians are being treated in just the same way will be particularly helpful towards achieving this.
Yours
Martin
M J Williams
cc: HKD, FCO
NTD, FCO
1
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