TNAG-2178-FCO40-3115-Hong-Kong-nationality-international-support-1990 — Page 162

CONFIDENTIAL

25

030623

MDLIAN 1457

CONFIDENTIAL

FM LUXEMBOURG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 006

OF 181515Z JANUARY 90

INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG

MY TELELETTER OF 12 JANUARY:

TOP COPY

Q DIST ?

HKCD 340/1

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY 2 4FEB 1990

HONG KONG :

INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

REGISTRY

PA

Action Taken

SUMMARY

1.

POOS PROMISES TO DISCUSS WITH HIS MINISTERIAL COLLEAGUES A POSSIBLE SCHEME TO OFFER VISAS TO SELECTED HONG KONG CITIZENS WITH THE PROSPECT OF NATIONALITY AFTER THE NECESSARY PERIOD OF RESIDENCE

IN LUXEMBOURG.

DETAIL

2.

I FOLLOWED UP YESTERDAY WITH FOREIGN MINISTER POOS, THANKING HIM FOR LUXEMBOURG HELP OVER THE BOAT PEOPLE, AND EXPLAINING THE URGENT NEED FOR AN INTERNATIONAL EFFORT TO SUSTAIN THE CONFIDENCE OF KEY PEOPLE IN HONG KONG. I SAID THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT RECOGNIZED ITS RESPONSIBILITY AND HAD ANNOUNCED ITS OWN SCHEME TO GIVE BRITISH NATIONALITY TO UP TO 50,000 FAMILIES WITHOUT THE USUAL REQUIREMENTS OF RESIDENCE IN THE UK. LUXEMBOURG HAD INTERESTS IN HONG KONG. COULD HE SEE A WAY IN WHICH LUXEMBOURG COULD PROVIDE ASSURANCES TO KEEP HONG KONGERS WITH SPECIAL LINKS WITH LUXEMBOURG

FROM LEAVING NOW.

3

AFTER SOME DISCUSSION, POOS SAID THAT HE SAW NO PROSPECT OF GRANTING IMMEDIATE LUXEMBOURG NATIONALITY TO SUCH PEOPLE. THE RESIDENCE REQUIREMENT HAD VERY OCCASIONALLY BEEN WAIVED (FOR THE SKIER GIRARDELLI, I POINTED OUT) BUT IT COULDN'T BE DONE EVEN IN SUCH EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES ON THE GROUNDS OF WORKING FOR A LUXEMBOURG FIRM. HOWEVER, HE THOUGHT A SCHEME TO OFFER VISAS, WITH THE ASSURANCE THAT THIS WOULD LEAD TO LUXEMBOURG NATIONALITY AFTER THE NECESSARY PERIOD OF RESIDENCE, MIGHT WELL BE POSSIBLE. HE WOULD CONSULT THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS AND GIVE ME A REPLY. IN THE

MEANTIME HE DID NOT WANT TO MENTION NUMBERS.

4.

I THANKED POOS WARMLY FOR THIS CONSTRUCTIVE APPROACH.

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CONFIDENTIAL