RESTRICTED
RESTRICTED
FM BONN
TO TELELETTER FCO
TELELETTER
OF 051407Z JANUARY 90
AND TO TELELETTER HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG
Uhr Hagher.
H.
171047 MDTTAN 0161
FROM:
TO:
AND TO:
MARTIN D UDEN ESQ, BRITISH EMBASSY, BONN MICHAEL STONE ESQ, HKD, FCO
HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG
HONG KONG: INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT
!
1. ONLY ON 5 JANUARY WAS I ABLE TO TAKE ACTION AS INSTRUCTED IN FCO TELNO 2364. I SAW DR SCHEEL WHO WAS ACTING AUS FOR ASIA IN THE AUSWAERTIGES AMT. I LEFT A SPEAKING NOTE BASED ON PARAS 3 AND 7 OF
TUR. I HAD SENT HIM THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S STATEMENT BEFORE CHRISTMAS.
2. SCHEEL WAS RECEPTIVE TO OUR MESSAGE CONCERNING THE NEED TO RETAIN
KEY PERSONNEL IN HONG KONG. HE SAID THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WAS
UNDER PRESSURE FROM GERMAN FIRMS TO TAKE MEASURES SIMILAR TO OURS. THE GOVERNMENT WAS NOT, HOWEVER, CONSIDERING CHANGING THE NATURALISATION PROCEDURES. CURRENTLY 11 YEARS RESIDENCE IN GERMANY
PLUS AN ABILITY TO SPEAK GERMAN WAS REQUIRED FOR NATURALISATION. EXCEPTIONS WERE ALLOWED UNDER A 1942 LAW TO GRANT GERMAN CITIZENSHIP IN INDIVIDUAL CASES: THIS HAD BEEN USED IN A HANDFUL OF CASES FROM HONG KONG. THE SOLUTION WHICH THE AUSWAERTIGES AMT AND INTERIOR MINISTRY WERE PURSUING WAS TO ALLOW KEY PERSONNEL FROM GERMAN FIRMS BASED IN HONG KONG TO RECEIVE APPROVAL TO ESTABLISH RESIDENCE IN THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC, SUBJECT TO THE COMPANY'S GUARANTEES OF CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT AND SUPPORT. INDIVIDUALS WOULD EVENTUALLY BE ABLE TO MAKE NATURALISATION APPLICA ONS IN THE NORMAL WAY. IT WAS ESTIMATED THAT
500 PEOPLE, FAMILY MEMBERS INCLUDED.
THIS COULD AFFECT DISCUSSIONS ON THIS
P
KOPOSAL WERE TAKING TIME BECAUSE OF THE NEED TO CONSULT THE FEDERAL LAENDER, AND SCHEEL WOULD NOT BE DRAWN ON WHEN A FINAL DECISION WOULD BE TAKEN.
3. I SAID THAT SO LONG AS THE GERMAN SCHEME ACHIEVED THE SAME END AS OURS OF PROVIDING AN INSURANCE POLICY TO KEY PERSONNEL WHICH WOULD STEM THEIR EMIGRATION FROM HONG KONG, THEN WE WOULD WELCOME THE GERMAN MOVES.
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