TNAG-1991-FCO40-2831-Future-of-Hong-Kong-British-Nationality-(Hong-Kong)-Selectio-1990 — Page 14

SECRET

(47)

130025 MDHIAN 9616

ECRET

FM HONG KONG

(DISTRIBUTION AMENDED 18TH DECEMBER)

TO DESKBY 181145Z FCO TELNO 4148

OF 180647Z DECEMBER 89

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

Hip340/18

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY 30 JAN 1990

DESK OFFICER

REGISTRY

STRICTLY PERSONAL FOR MCLAREN AUS DEPROM GOVERNORtion Taken PEKING STRICTLY PERSONAL FOR CHARGE

enter

28/12

YOUR TELNO 1165 TO PEKING: NATIONALITY PACKAGE) CHINESE DIMENSION

1

I HAVE DISCUSSED WHAT SHOULD BE SAID TO THE CHINESE WITH ALAN

DONALD AND TONY GALSWORTHY. THE FOLLOWING REPRESENTS OUR JOINT VIEW.

2.

THE FACT THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO GIVE THE CHINESE ONLY MINIMAL

NOTICE OF WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING TO DO SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCES THE PROSPECTS OF A HELPFUL CHINESE RESPONSE, IF ONLY BECAUSE THEY ARE LIKELY TO HAVE TO REACT WITHOUT HAVING FULLY CONSIDERED THE ARGUMENT. NEVERTHELESS, SINCE THE CHINESE HAVE IT IN THEIR POWER TO UNDERMINE THE CONFIDENCE BUILDING EFFECTS OF THE PACKAGE QUITE SERIOUSLY, WE MUST CLEARLY MAKE WHAT EFFORT WE CAN TO HEAD OFF AN UNHELPFUL RESPONSE. ALAN DONALD IS PLANNING TO RETURN TO PEKING ON

TUESDAY IN ORDER TO SEE THE MFA ON WEDNESDAY MORNING. I THINK IT WILL BE USEFUL IF I CALL IN XU JIATUN ON THE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON, AND FOR TONY GALSWORTHY TO DO THE SAME WITH KE ZAISHUO AND ALSO PASS ON WHAT HE SAYS TO LU PING, WHO IS FAMILIAR WITH THE NATIONALITY PROBLEM BUT IS NOW IN CANTON. YOU MIGHT CONSIDER

WHETHER SOMEONE SHOULD CALL IN THE CHINESE AMBASSADOR IN LONDON AS WELL.

3 =

THE IDEAL CHINESE RESPONSE WOULD BE THAT THEY WILL RECOGNISE

ANYONE IN HONG KONG OF WHATEVER RACE WITH A FULL BC PASSPORT AS BRITISH. WE REGARD THIS AS UNLIKELY. REALISTICALLY THE BEST WE CAN HOPE FOR IS PROBABLY AN AMBIGUOUS RESPONSE WHICH DOES NOT EXPLICITLY RULE OUT THE ACCEPTANCE OF SUCH PERSONS AS BRITISH. WORST OF ALL WOULD BE A STATEMENT THAT ALL PERSONS OF CHINESE RACE IN HONG KONG ARE ''COMPATRIOTS'', WHATEVER PASSPORTS THEY MAY HAVE.

4 =

IT SEEMS TO US THAT THE MAIN COMPLAINTS (HOWEVER UNJUSTIFIED OR FAR-FETCHED) FROM THE CHINESE THAT WE NEED TO DEAL WITH WILL BE THE FOLLOWING:

PAGE

SECRET

1