TNAG-1991-FCO40-2831-Future-of-Hong-Kong-British-Nationality-(Hong-Kong)-Selectio-1990 — Page 19

CONFIDENTIAL

156225

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 30080OZ FCO

TELNO 4282

OF 30070OZ DECEMBER 89

нко

MDHIAN 0894

HKCD 3400 18-TOP COPY

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

16 JAN 1990**

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

QDIST?

REGISTRY

Action Taken

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG, BTC HỒNG KONG

RESIDENT CLERK PLEASE PASS TO MR MCLAREN, AUSS

HMA PEKING'S CALL ON GUO FENGMIN: NATIONALITY

1. HMA PEKING TELEPHONED PS/GOVERNOR TODAY (30 DECEMBER) TO GIVE DETAILS OF A CHINESE STATEMENT ON THE UK NATIONALITY PACKAGE, DUE TO BE RELEASED TODAY BY THE MFA. AS DISCUSSED IN TELECON MCLAREN/BRADLEY, WE BELIEVE THAT IF POSSIBLE IT WOULD BE VALUABLE IF THE UK COULD GIVE A SWIFT RESPONSE TO THE MFA'S PUBLIC STATEMENT (DETAILS OF WHICH YOU WILL HAVE LEARNED FROM SIR A DONALD BY TELEGRAM). WE COULD THEN USE YOUR STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO

QUESTIONING HERE.

2. THE ESSENTIAL POINT IN OUR VIEW WILL BE TO COUNTER IN FIRM BUT UNPROVOCATIVE TERMS THE SUGGESTION THAT THE NATIONALITY PACKAGE WILL BE DIVISIVE OR DAMAGING TO HONG KONG'S STABILITY AND PROSPERITY, AND TO DENY THAT IT INVOLVES ANY BREACH OF COMMITMENTS UNDER THE JOINT DECLARATION, INCLUDING THE BRITISH MEMORANDUM.

3. WORDING WHICH MIGHT COVER THIS COULD TAKE THE FOLLOWING LINE. THE NATIONALITY PACKAGE ANNOUNCED BY HMG IS ONE OF A NUMBER OF MEASURES TAKEN BY HMG WHICH ARE DESIGNED TO STRENGTHEN CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG AND ENCOURAGE KEY PEOPLE TO REMAIN IN HONG KONG AND CONTRIBUTE TO ITS STABILITY AND PROSPERITY. THE PACKAGE DOES NOT IN ANY WAY GO AGAINST BRITISH COMMITMENTS UNDER THE JOINT DECLARATION

OR THE MEMORANDA ATTACHED TO THE JOINT DECLARATION.

4. AS EXPLAINED IN TELECON A STATEMENT FROM HMG WHICH WE COULD THEN DEPLOY LOCALLY IN TIME FOR THE 6PM EVENING NEWS HERE WOULD BE

IDEAL.

WILSON

YYYY

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