TNAG-2178-FCO40-3115-Hong-Kong-nationality-international-support-1990 — Page 211

RESTRICTED

dur Hague. S

/R/MOTTA

HiCD 34-0/1

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

24 FEB 1990

171047

MDTTAN 0161

RESTRICTED FM BONN

TO TELELETTER FCO

TELELETTER

OF 051407Z JANUARY 90

AND TO TELELETTER HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG

DESK OFFICER

REGISTRY

INDEX

PA

Action Taken

FROM: TO:

MARTIN D UDEN ESQ, BRITISH EMBASST MICHAEL STONE ESQ, HKD, FCO

AND TO:

HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG

788 89 HOCD 340/8

HONG KONG: INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT

!

1. ONLY ON 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 APPLICAT ONS IN THE NORMAL WAY. IT WAS ESTIMATED THAT THIS COULD AFFECT UP TO 500 PEOPLE, FAMILY MEMBERS INCLUDED. DISCUSSIONS ON THIS PROPOSAL 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.

PAGE KMTI RESTRICTED