TNAG-2178-FCO40-3115-Hong-Kong-nationality-international-support-1990 — Page 145

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(35,

055120

MDLIAN 3432

CONFIDENTIAL

FM ATHENS

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 36

OF 26103OZ JANUARY 90

INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG

YOUR TELNO 87 TO WASHINGTON :

HICD

34011

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

24 FEB 1990

DEBK OFFICER

TOP COPY Q DIST ?

REGISTRY

HONG KONDEX GRAY LACHO

1. MR MAUDE PRESSED OUR CASE WITH THE GREEK-FOREIGN MINISTER WHEN THEY MET ON 18 JANUARY. COUNSELLOR FOLLOWED UP WITH HEAD OF DIVISION RESPONSIBLE FOR WESTERN EUROPE ON 25 JANUARY AND ASKED FOR THE GREEK RESPONSE.

2.

COSTOULAS EXPLAINED THAT GREECE HAD ONLY AN HONORARY CONSULATE IN HONG KONG, LITTLE DIRECT INFORMATION ABOUT THE POLITICAL SITUATION AND ONLY A LOW LEVEL OF COMMERCIAL CONTACTS. EVEN IF THEY ACCEPTED THE PRINCIPAL OF OUR APPROACH IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO IDENTIFY SUITABLE PEOPLE WITH GREEK CONNECTIONS TO WHOM OFFERS OF RESIDENCE MIGHT BE GIVEN. HE HAD THEREFORE ADOPTED A DIFFERENT TACK AND NOW HAD OBTAINED AGREEMENT AT OFFICIAL LEVEL WITHIN THE MINISTRY TO ESTABLISH A CONSULATE GENERAL IN HONG KONG HEADED BY A GREEK DIPLOMATIC SERVICE OFFICER. THE CONSULATE WOULD GRADUALLY DEVELOP A COMMERCIAL PRESENCE IN HONG KONG AND, AS LINKS WITH GREECE WERE ESTABLISHED, SO THE GREEKS MIGHT BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY PEOPLE TO WHOM THEY MIGHT, AT A LATER STAGE, OFFER CITIZENSHIP. COSTOULAS WAS CONFIDENT THAT HIS MINISTER WOULD AGREE TO THE PROPOSAL. IT WOULD THEN HAVE TO BE CLEARED WITH THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE AS WELL AS THE OTHER POLITICAL PARTIES INVOLVED IN THE COALITION GOVERNMENT.

3 =

COUNSELLOR ACKNOWLEDGED THAT A STEP OF THIS KIND WOULD, IN ITSELF, BE A GESTURE OF CONFIDENCE IN THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG AND UNDERTOOK TO ENQUIRE WHETHER THERE WERE LIKELY TO BE ANY PRACTICAL PROBLEMS. IT SEEMS CLEAR THAT THE MFA ARE USING OUR APPROACH AS A LEVER TO PRESS FOR THE SETTING UP OF A NEW CAREER POST IN AN AREA WHERE THEY FEEL THIN ON THE GROUND. THERE IS NO SIGN THAT THEY HAVE YET ADDRESSED THE LEGAL OR DOMESTIC POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS OF OFFERING GREEK CITIZENSHIP TO HONG KONG CITIZENS AT THIS STAGE, SO WE SHOULD NOT PLACE TOO MUCH RELIANCE ON THIS EVER HAPPENING. BUT WE DO APPEAR TO HAVE STARTED SOME THOUGHT ABOUT THE PROBLEM. GRATEFUL TO KNOW WHETHER WE SHOULD ENCOURAGE THE GREEKS IN THIS LINE OF THOUGHT OR WHETHER THERE ARE DIFFICULTIES WE NEED TO DRAW TO THEIR ATTENTION.

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