TNAG-2158-FCO40-3078-Hong-Kong-nationality-package-Chinese-views-1990 — Page 102

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 494

CONFIDENTIAL

C340/1

HKC340

TOP COP 022556 Q DISTMDHOAN 4336

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

= 9 MAR 1990

58

OF 02180OZ MARCH 90

DESK OFFICER

REGISTRY

AND TO IMMEDIATE PEKING

INDEX

FA

Action Taken

INFO PRIORITY UKREP JLG HONG KONG

YOUR TELNO 798 AND PEKING TELNO 328: CHINESE STATEMENT ON NATIONALITY PACKAGE

1. WE ARE GIVING URGENT THOUGHT TO THE TIMING AND MODALITIES OF A FURTHER APPROACH TO THE CHINESE ABOUT OUR NATIONALITY PACKAGE. WE SHALL BE TELEGRAPHING IN DETAIL SHORTLY. WE AGREE THAT OUR OVERRIDING OBJECTIVE SHOULD BE TO PERSUADE THE CHINESE TO DESSIST FROM MAKING UNHELPFUL PUBLIC STATEMENTS ABOUT THE PACKAGE. 2. WE REMAIN UNCLEAR ABOUT THE MOTIVES BEHIND THE MFA STATEMENT OF 1 MARCH. IT COULD BE AS YOU SUGGEST, THAT THEY ARE TRYING TO DEVALUE THE PACKAGE IN THE HOPE THAT IT WILL FAIL TO GET THROUGH PARLIAMENT. ON THE OTHER HAND, IT IS INTERESTING THAT, AS PEKING HAVE POINTED OUT THE FINAL PARAGRAPH OF THE STATEMENT SUGGESTS THAT CHINA WOULD BE PREPARED TO ALLOW HONG KONG RESIDENTS TO RENOUNCE THEIR CHINESE NATIONALITY. THIS PART OF THE STATEMENT (TAKEN TOGETHER WITH THE TONG YUK-HON ARTICLE REPORTED IN YOUR TELNO 752) COULD THEREFORE BE INTERPRETED AS A HELPFUL ATTEMPT BY THE CHINESE TO RECONCILE OUR NATIONALITY PACKAGE WITH THE CHINESE

NATIONALITY LAW.

3. IT FOLLOWS THAT WE WOULD PREFER TO REFLECT FURTHER

BEFORE EMBARKING ON ANOTHER ROUND OF PUBLIC EXCHANGES ABOUT THE NATIONALITY PACKAGE.

4. GRATEFUL FOR YOUR FURTHER VIEWS AND THOSE OF PEKING.

HURD

YYYY

ΜΑΙΝ

67

.HK AGREEMENT NATIONALITY

LIMITED

HKD

DISTRIBUTION

78

PS

PS/MR MAUDE

PS/LORD BRABAZON

PAGE

1

CONFIDENTIAL