TNAG-2178-FCO40-3115-Hong-Kong-nationality-international-support-1990 — Page 54

RESTRICTED

65

142753 MDLIAN 8524

RESTRICTED

FM PARIS

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 184

OF 141714Z FEBRUARY 90

шко

WKD 3160/1

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG, PEKING 2 4 FEB 1990

ICER

PA

REGISTRY

Taken

162

YOUR TELNO 82 (NOT TO PEKING) : HONG KONG: INTERNATIONAL SUPONS

1

SUMMARY

1. CONFIRMATION THAT AROUND 1000-1200 KEY STAFF IN FRENCH FIRMS WILL BE GIVEN TRAVEL PERMITS ALLOWING THEM TO COME TO FRANCE.

DETAIL

2. ACTION TAKEN WITH ANDRIEU (QUAI CHINA/HONG KONG DESK). HE CONFIRMED THAT THE INFORMATION IN THE HONG KONG STANDARD WAS BROADLY CORRECT AS FAR AS NUMBERS WERE CONCERNED BUT SAID THAT THE RIGHT OF ABODE WOULD NOT IMMEDIATELY BE EXTENDED TO ALL. THE CHINESE HAD PROTESTED STRONGLY ABOUT THE FRENCH DECISION.

3. ANDRIEU RECAPITULATED THE DETAILS OF THE FRENCH SCHEME FOR EMPLOYEES OF FRENCH FIRMS IN HONG KONG (MY TELNOS 1349 AND 1698 REFER):

A. FULL NATURALISATION WOULD BE GIVEN TO LIMITED NUMBER OF KEY STAFF, LIKELY TO BE NO MORE THAN 20 TO 30. (80 HONG KONG CITIZENS HAD BEEN GIVEN FULL NATIONALITY IN 1988.)

B. A LAISSEZ PASSEZ ARRANGEMENT (EQUIVALENT TO A TEMPORARY PASSPORT VALID ONLY FOR A SINGLE TRIP FROM HONG KONG TO FRANCE) WOULD BENEFIT A FURTHER 1000 TO 1200 PEOPLE. ONLY THOSE EMPLOYED BY FRENCH FIRMS IN HONG KONG WHO HAD WRITTEN ASSURANCES THAT THEY WOULD BE REEMPLOYED BY FRENCH COMPANIES, IN FRANCE OR ELSEWHERE, WERE ELIGIBLE. ON ARRIVAL IN FRANCE, THEY COULD APPLY FOR NATURALISATION OR RIGHT OF ABODE.

4. ANDRIEU STRESSED THAT THE OBJECTIVE OF THE FRENCH SCHEME WAS TO PERSUADE KEY PERSONNEL TO REMAIN IN HONG KONG, NOT TO COME TO FRANCE. THE FRENCH CONSULATE IN HONG KONG WOULD SHORTLY BE IN TOUCH WITH FRENCH FIRMS TO ASK THEM TO RECOMMEND PEOPLE WHO SHOULD APPLY FOR THE NATURALISATION OR LAISSEZ PASSEZ SCHEMES.

FERGUSSON

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