TNAG-1821-FCO40-2584-Emigration-from-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 37

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 2691

OF 13163OZ OCTOBER 88

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CONFIDENTIAL

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INFO IMMEDIATE PARIS, BRUSSELS

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BRUSSELS FOR HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE

FRENCH PASSPORTS FOR HONG KONG CHINESE PROFESSIONALS

1.

THE EMBASSY IN PARIS IN LE FIGARO OF 8 OCTOBER

HAVE DRAWN OUR ATTENTION TO AN ARTICLE (COPIED TO YOU BY FAX) ADVOCATING THAT FRENCH PASSPORTS SHOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE TO HONG KONG CHINESE PROFESSIONALS WORKING FOR FRENCH COMPANIES IN HONG KONG. THE MAIN THRUST OF THE ARTICLE IS THAT WITH THE INCREASING EMIGRATION OF PROFESSIONALS FROM HONG KONG AND THE GROWING COMPETITION AMONGST COMPANIES IN HONG KONG FOR QUALIFIED PERSONNEL, THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT SHOULD REACTIVATE ITS PLAN (APPARENTLY UNDER DISCUSSION BEFORE THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS) TO MAKE FRENCH PASSPORTS AVAILABLE TO HONG KONG CHINESE EMPLOYED BY FRENCH COMPANIES IN THE

2.

TERRITORY.

WE ARE SURE THAT IT WOULD BE INADVISABLE FOR THE EMBASSY TO COMMENT PUBLICLY ON THE ARTICLE. THAT WOULD SERVE ONLY TO GIVE A HIGHER PROFILE TO THE ISSUE. IT MIGHT ALSO AROUSE SENSITIVITIES IN HONG KONG (AND ADVERSELY AFFECT CONFIDENCE) IF IT APPEARED THAT HMG WAS SEEKING TO INTERVENE WITH THIRD COUNTRIES TO PREVENT HONG KONG PEOPLE FROM ACQUIRING FOREIGN PASSPORTS.

3. WE DO HOWEVER THINK THAT IT WOULD BE USEFUL IF PARIS COULD HAVE A QUIET WORD WITH THE QUAI TO FIND OUT THEIR LATEST THINKING ON THE ISSUE. IT WOULD CERTAINLY BE HELPFUL TO HAVE ADVANCE WARNING OF ANY PLAN TO INTRODUCE THE SORT OF SCHEME REFERRED TO IN THE ARTICLE.

4. SUBJECT TO YOUR VIEWS, WE THINK THAT PARIS SHOULD REMIND THE QUAI OF SIR E FERGUSSON'S EXCHANGE WITH BARIANI LAST YEAR (PARIS TELNO 790) AND REITERATE THE POINTS HE MADE ON THAT OCCASION. IF THE QUAI RETORT (AS BARIANI DID, AND AS THE FIGARO ARTICLE DOES) THAT THE AVAILABILITY OF A FRENCH PASSPORT WOULD SERVE TO PROVIDE REASSURANCE TO THE INDIVIDUALS CONCERNED CAND THUS ENCOURAGE THEM TO REMAIN IN HONG KONG) WE SUGGEST THAT PARIS TAKE THE FOLLOWING LINE:

WE DO NOT WISH TO PREVENT HONG KONG PEOPLE FROM ACQUIRING

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CONFIDENTIAL