CONFIDENTIAL
COMEDENTIAL
FM
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 09
OF 081715Z JANUARY 90
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG
YOUR TELNO 2364 OF 1989 TO WASHINGTON: H
174142
MDLIAN 8685
*IONAL
SUMMARY
1. BELGIUM HOPES TO INTRODUCE SHORTLY A SCHEME TO OFFER PERMANENT BELGIAN RESIDENCE PERMITS TO KEY EMPLOYEES OF BELGIAN COMPANIES IN HONG KONG. GIVEN THE SMALL SCALE OF BELGIAN ACTIVITY IN HONG KONG, THIS WILL NOT COVER MORE THAN 50 HEADS OF HOUSEHOLD AT MOST.
DETAIL
2. I TOOK ACTION TODAY WITH THE SECRETARY GENERAL AT THE FOREIGN MINISTRY.
3. ROELANTS SAID THAT THE SCHEME HE HAD OUTLINED TO ME IN OCTOBER 1989 (MY TELNO 342) HAD NOW BEEN APPROVED. THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE HAD AGREED THAT AN OFFER OF PERMANENT BELGIAN RESIDENCE PERMITS MIGHT BE MADE TO KEY HONG KONG EMPLOYEES OF BELGIAN COMPANIES (PRINCIPALLY BANKS) IN HONG KONG, IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT THEY REMAINED WITH THAT COMPANY AND IN HONG KONG. THE SCHEME WOULD APPLY ONLY TO A LIMITED LIST OF PERSONS WHICH HAD ALREADY BEEN PRESENTED BY THE VARIOUS EMPLOYERS, TOGETHER WITH THEIR DEPENDENTS. IT WOULD MEAN THAT THESE PEOPLE COULD BE CERTAIN OF CONTINUING EMPLOYMENT BY THE COMPANIES IN BELGIUM IF THEY HAD TO LEAVE HONG KONG, TOGETHER WITH PERMANENT RESIDENCE IN BELGIUM IF THEY SO WISHED. THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF BENEFICIARIES WOULD NOT EXCEED 50. THIS REFLECTED THE LIMITED NATURE OF BELGIAN COMMERCIAL AND FINANCIAL ACTIVITY IN HONG KONG.
4. A SCHEME OF THIS KIND, BASED ON ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION, WAS THE ONLY WAY OF GUARANTEEING A SAFETY NET IN BELGIUM. THE ONLY ROAD TO NATURALISATION IN BELGIUM WAS BY WAY OF LEGISLATION, AND NAMES INCLUDED IN A BILL MIGHT ALWAYS BE STRUCK OUT IN THE COURSE OF ITS PASSAGE THROUGH PARLIAMENT. THE NEW SCHEME SHOULD BE READY
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