312
ERS 285
RESTRICTED
FM NEW DELHI
TO ROUTINE FCO
TELNO 313
RESTRICTED
AMENDED DISTRIBUTION 7 MARCH 1986
OF 06123OZ MARCH 86
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG
297
OUR TELNO 294
HONG KONG INDIANS
HHK 040/4 ный
RECEIVED ON REGISTRY
1 CMAR 1986
DESK OFFICER INDEX
REGISTRY
PA
Action Taken
SUMMARY
1. VENKATESWARAN ASKED SIR W HARDING ON 5 MARCH WHETHER HMG
WOULD GIVE FULL BRITISH CITIZENSHIP TO HONG KONG INDIANS. AN
MP HAS ASKED THE GO TO HELP SETTLE HONG KONG INDIANS. AN
OFFICIAL COMMITTEE TO STUDY THE PROBLEMS OF NON-RESIDENT INDIANS
MAY BE FORMED SOON.
DETAIL
2. DURING OFFICIAL TALKS IN THE MEA, VENKATESWARAM (SECRETARY
(EAST)) EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE NON-ETHNIC
CHINESE MINORITIES IN HONG KONG AFTER 1997. HE UNDERSTOOD THESE
#&CBOME 4,200 INDIANS, AND BELIEVED BRITAIN HAD A MORAL
RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT THE INTERESTS OF THESE BDTC'S WERE PROPERLY PROTECTED. AS ONLY A SMALL NUMBER WAS INVOLVED, HE THOUGHT A MAGNANIMOUS APPROACH SHOULD NOT BE DIFFICULT.
3. SIR W HARDING REPLID THAT HMG WAS VERY MUCH AWARE OF THE INTERESTS OF THE NON-ETHNIC MINORITIES, AND THAT THE POSITION WAS UNDER ACTIVE CONSIDERATION IN LONDON. THERE WERE DIFFICULITIS
ABOUT CREATING A PRCEDENT AND POSSIBLE LOOPHOL IN OUR IMMIGRATION
RULES.
4. VENKATESWARAN BELIEVED IT WOULD REFLCT MUCH CREDIT ON HMG
IF A SOLUTION COULD BE FOUND. A CENSUS COULD BE HELD TO PREVENT
ANY ABUSE OF SPECIAL CITIZENSHIP PROVI IONS CREATED FOR HONG
KONG INDIANS. THE IS U LAS PROFOUNDLY WORRYING FOR THE INDIAN
COMMUNITY IN HONG KONG.
RESTRICTED
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