RESTRICTED
021472
MDHIAN 9404
RESTRICTED
FM ROME
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 173
OF 021235Z MARCH 90
INFO PRIORITY BTC HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG, HONG KONG
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, WASHINGTON
INFO SAVING SINGAPORE, TOKYO, OTHER EC POSTS
YOUR TELNO 32 TO BTC HONG KONG: HONG KONG: INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT
SUMMARY
;
1. ITALIAN PRESS PICKS UP DAILY MAIL REPORT AND SUGGESTS THAT THE
ATTITUDE OF THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT IS NOT UNFAVOURABLE. ITALIAN MFA
TELLS US HOWEVER THAT NO SPECIAL MEASURES ARE BEING CONSIDERED FOR HONG KONG CITIZENS.
DETAIL
2. TODAY'S CORRIERE DELLA SERA AND IL TEMPO CARRY REPORTS BASED ON
THE DAILY MAIL ARTICLE. THE FORMER SUGGESTS THAT THE ATTITUDE OF
THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT IS 'NOT UNFAVOURABLE' TO THE BRITISH REQUEST, BUT POINTS OUT THE LEGAL PROBLEMS, IN THAT THE CURRENT REQUIREMENT UNDER ITALIAN LAW THAT A FOREIGNER MUST RESIDE IN ITALY FOR FIVE YEARS BEFORE BEING GRANTED CITIZENSHIP.
3. WE RAISED THIS WITH CAVATERRA, HEAD OF REFUGEES DEPARTMENT IN THE MFA. HE CONFIRMED THAT THERE HAD BEEN SOME DISCUSSION OF THIS
WITHIN THE MFA FOLLOWING MY CALL ON THE POLITICAL DIRECTOR IN JANUARY (MY TELNO 32, NOT TO ALL). ITALY'S POSITION WOULD NOT BE UNFAVOURABLE, BUT THERE COULD BE NO SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR HONG CITIZENS. THEY WOULD BE WELCOME TO SEEK RESIDENCE AND EVENTUALLY CITIZENSHIP IN THE NORMAL WAY. THERE WAS ALSO THE MORE IMMEDIATE
POSSIBILITY OF GRANTING A STATELESS TRAVEL DOCUMENT TO CERTAIN HONG KONG CITIZENS WHO QUALIFIED FOR REFUGEE STATUS, ALTHOUGH THE ITALIAN CONSUL-GENERAL IN HONG KONG HAD ADVISED THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WOULD BE UNLIKELY TO RECOGNISE SUCH DOCUMENTS AFTER 1997.
4. CAVATERRA HAD NOT SEEN THE ITALIAN PRESS REPORTS AND SHOWED NO CONCERN THAT ITALY'S NAME HAD BEEN MENTIONED.
EGERTON
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