TNAG-1557-FCO40-2121-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-passports-Hong-Kong-(Br-1986 — Page 76

GRS 350

UNCLASSIFIED

FM HONG KONG

нын онорка

ovoly

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

1 Q JAN 1986

OFFICER

RESTRY

OP COPY

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 104

OF 10044OZ JANUARY 86-

INC

INFO PRIORITY PEKING

PA

Action Taken

NATIONALITY ORDER IN COUNCIL : ETHNIC MINORITIES

PRESS COMMENT.

FULL TRANSLATION OF A COMMENTARY IN WEN WE! PO, A LEADING LEFT-

WING DAILY, ON 7 JANUARY IS REPEATED BELOW.

BEGINS

**HEADLINE: THE QUESTION OF NATIONALITY OF ETHNIC IND FANS

TEXT:

THE LOCAL INDIAN COMMUNITY HAS DECIDED TO SEND TWO

REPRESENTATIVES TO THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT TO LOBBY (MPS). THEY

WILL FIGHT FOR THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S RECOGNITION OF THE STATUS

OF THE 10,000 PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT ETHNIC CHINESE, INCLUDING INDIANS, AS BRITISH CITIZENS. IT IS DIFFICULT TO SAY AT THIS STAGE WHAT RESULTS THEIR LONDON VISIT WILL YEILD. BUT AT LEAST,

IT WILL DRAW THE ATTENTION OF LONDON AND VARIOUS PEOPLE. IT IS

ALSO A NEW ITEM THAT DESERVES THE ATTENTION OF HK PEOPLE.

IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE THAT THESE PEOPLE SHOULD GO TO BRITAIN TO

FIGHT (FOR THEIR INTERESTS) BECAUSE AFTER 1997, THEIR BOC PASSPORTS WILL, IN REALITY, BE MERELY A TRAVEL DOCUMENT. IN PRACTICE, THE

DOCUMENT WILL NOT CARRY A NATIONALITY. AS THE REPRESENTATIVES HAVE

SAID, THEY DO NOT INTEND TO LEAVE HK TO SETTLE AND WORK IN

BRITAIN. BUT THEY DO NOT WANT THEMSELVES AND THEIR DESCENDANTS

TO BECOME STATELESS.

ONE CANNOT ISOLATE. THIS QUESTION FROM HISTORY. NEITHER CAN ONE DEPART FROM REALITY. ALL ALONG, THESE PEOPLE HOLD BRITISH

PASSPORTS. IT IS UNACCEPTABLE TO THEM IF THEYS ARE RENDERED

STATELESS BY CHANGES (TO THE BRITISH NATIONALITY LAWS).''

ENDS.

YOUDE

LIMITED

HKD

SIR. W. HARDING

FED

NTD

NEWS.D.

MR. WILSON

60