TNAG-1869-FCO40-2657-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-Macau-1989 — Page 82

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References

A.

B.

c.

Mr Gozney's minute of 13 June. 26

Mr Wall's minute of 28 June. -O!

Mr Gozney's minute of 12 July.

33

HKB 020/4

Ma

Background

1. The Secretary of State has had a number of exchanges with his Portuguese counterpart over the last month or so. The principal purpose has been to compare notes about our respective dealings with the Chinese authorities over Hong Kong and Macao following the

events of 3/4 June. The exchanges so far have not been entirely satisfactory, since there appears to a degree of confusion within

the Portuguese administration about their contacts with the Chinese;

the best way forward, and the scale on which Portguese passports

have been issued in Macao. Officials are considering the best way

of sustaining these contacts.

2. On the second part of the question, only "full" British citizens

have rights of free movement within the EC. The only way in which

Hong Kong people could gain such rights would be if they were first

given British citizenship. Ministers have made it abundantly

clear that this is not a realistic option. The granting of right of

abode in Britain (i.e. a step short of citizenship) to Hong Kong

people would not given them free access to other EC countries unless

they first qualified for citizenship by spending five years in

Britain.

COZALD3

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