CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
IMMEDIATE DELHI
TO
TELNO 103
OF 301615Z
JANUARY 90
AND TO IMMEDIATE ISLAMABAD INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG,
CONFIDENTIAL
-THE 340/1
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY 24FEB 1990
DECK OF CER
KONG
зд
066350
MDHOAN 2098
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
REGISTRY
Action Taken
VISIT OF LORD BRABAZON: BRIEFING: HONG KONG: INTERNATIONAL
SUPPORT
1.
FOLLOWING THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF OUR NATIONALITY PACKAGE FOR HONG KONG ON 20 DECEMBER WE HAVE ASKED CERTAIN POSTS TO LOBBY HOST GOVERNMENTS WITH THE AIM OF PERSUADING OTHER COUNTRIES TO FOLLOW OUR LEAD IN GIVING CITIZENSHIP OR OTHER ASSURANCES TO CERTAIN HONG KONG PEOPLE WITHOUT REQUIRING THEM TO LEAVE THE TERRITORY. UNTIL NOW WE HAVE NOT INCLUDED INDIA OR PAKISTAN IN
THIS EXERCISE.
2.
THE COUNCIL OF HONG KONG INDIAN ASSOCIATIONS IN HONG KONG HAVE FOR SOME TIME BEEN LOBBYING HARD FOR FULL BRITISH CITIZENSHIP
TO BE GIVEN TO THE NON-CHINESE ETHNIC MINORITIES IN HONG KONG (MAINLY INDIANS AND PAKISTANIS) WHO ONLY HOLD BDTC PASSPORTS AND FEAR THAT THEY MIGHT BECOME STATELESS AFTER 1997. THEY ESTIMATE THAT THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ETHNIC MINORITY BDTCS WITH NO OTHER FORM OF NATIONALITY IS ABOUT 6000. MINISTERS HAVE ALREADY MADE CLEAR THAT NO SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS WILL BE MADE FOR THE ETHNIC MINORITIES, ALTHOUGH THEY WILL BE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR BRITISH CITIZENSHIP UNDER THE NATIONALITY SCHEME. HOWEVER, IT OCCURS TO US THAT THEIR CONCERNS COULD BE PARTLY MET IF INDIA AND PAKISTAN WERE PREPARED TO GRANT THEM CITIZENSHIP OR AT LEAST ENTRY CERTIFICATES, WITHOUT REQUIRING THEM TO LEAVE HONG KONG. IT IS IMPORTANT TO STRESS, HOWEVER, THAT THEY HAVE NOT ASKED US TO LOBBY THE INDIAN OR PAKISTAN GOVERNMENTS ON THEIR BEHALF AND (INDEED) MIGHT NOT WELCOME SUCH A MOVE IF THIS REDUCED THEIR CHANCES OF SECURING A BRITISH
PASSPORT.
3.
WE WOULD WELCOME YOUR VIEWS ON WHETHER LORD BRABAZON SHOULD RAISE THIS ISSUE DURING HIS FORTHCOMING VISIT TO INDIA AND PAKISTAN. WE WOULD PROPOSE TO BRIEF HIM TO TAKE THE FOLLOWING
LINE:
THE COUNCIL OF HONG KONG INDIAN ASSOCIATIONS HAVE BEEN
SEEKING FULL BRITISH CITIZENSHIP FOR THE NON-CHINESE ETHIC MINORITIES IN HONG KONG. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT ARE AWARE OF THE SPECIAL CONCERNS OF THIS GROUP BUT HAVE CONCLUDED
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CONFIDENTIAL
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