TNAG-2179-FCO40-3116-Hong-Kong-nationality-international-support-1990 — Page 50

CONFIDENTIAL

FM THE HAGUE

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 107

OF 211655Z MARCH 90

CONFIDENTIAL

Ако 3-401

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

27 MAR 1990

DESK OFFICER INDEA

INFO PRIORITY HONGKONG, PARIS, BONN,

114

YOUR TELNO 605 TO HONG KONG:

REGISTRY

PA

Action Taken

ON

INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT

122

107354 MDHIAN 2302

SUMMARY

1. MR MAUDE ASKS THE DUTCH TO CONSIDER OFFERING RESIDENCE RIGHTS (IF NECESSARY DELAYED) TO A LIMITED NUMBER OF HONG KONG CITIZENS. VAN DEN BROEK EXPLAINS DIFFICULTIES OF PRINCIPLE, BUT UNDERTAKES TO LOOK AGAIN.

DETAIL

2. MR MAUDE SAID THAT THE UK WAS PROPOSING TO GIVE A RIGHT OF ABODE TO SOME 50,000 HEADS OF FAMILY. THIS WAS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A SAFETY NET FOR KEY PEOPLE IN HONG KONG AND ACT AS A DISINCENTIVE TO

THEM TO LEAVE. WE WERE ENCOURAGING FRIENDLY COUNTRIES TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS INITIATIVE ALBEIT ON A SMALLER SCALE. THERE WERE A NUMBER OF DUTCH OWNED COMPANIES IN HONG KONG WITH AROUND 4,000 LOCAL EMPLOYEES.

IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL IF THE NETHERLANDS COULD DEVISE A SCHEME WHICH COULD GIVE A RIGHT OF ENTRY TO SOME OF THESE, EVEN IF THE RIGHT OF ENTRY WAS DELAYED AND FULL DUTCH CITIZENSHIP WAS NOT INVOLVED.

3.

VAN DEN BROEK SAID THAT THE DUTCH AUTHORITIES HAD ALREADY CAREFULLY LOOKED AT THIS QUESTION, FOLLOWING OUR EARLIER REPRESENTATIONS. HE COULD UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT THE DUTCH COULD NOT ISSUE PASSPORTS TO NON-NATIONALS. THE ISSUE OF ADVANCE RESIDENCE PERMITS TO NON-NATIONALS WOULD ALSO CREATE PRECEDENTS WHICH COULD BE DIFFICULT TO HANDLE. MR MAUDE SAID THAT NONETHELESS SOME COUNTRIES HAD AGREED IN PRINCIPLE TO DEVISE SCHEMES

FOR LIMITED NUMBERS OF IDENTIFIED PEOPLE. OTHERS WERE WAITING TO SEE HOW THE SITUATION DEVELOPED. THE US WAS LOOKING AT A SCHEME, AND FRANCE AND GERMANY MIGHT DO SOMETHING. WE WERE LOOKING TO A NUMBER OF COUNTRIES TO TAKE RELATIVELY SMALL NUMBERS OF PEOPLE SO THAT IN THE AGGREGATE A CRITICAL MASS COULD BE CREATED, DESIGNED TO INSPIRE A CLIMATE OF CONFIDENCE.

3. VAN DEN BROEK SAID THAT IT COULD BE USEFUL TO KNOW WHAT SCHEMES OTHER COUNTRIES MIGHT HAVE IN MIND. THE DUTCH HAD REAL DIFFICULTIES OF PRINCIPLE BUT WITHOUT ANY COMMITMENT HE WOULD LOOK AT THE QUESTION AGAIN.

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