TNAG-2179-FCO40-3116-Hong-Kong-nationality-international-support-1990 — Page 73

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE PRETORIA

TELNO 45

OF 20123OZ MARCH 90

AND TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

CONFIDENTIAL

1115

нко 34011

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

27 MAR 1990*

BESK OFFICER INDEX

PA

REGISTRY Action Taken

104056 MDHOAN 5435

HONG KONG: INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT

1. AS PART OF OUR EFFORTS TO ENLIST THE WIDEST POSSIBLE INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT FOR HONG KONG, MINISTERS WOULD LIKE AN APPROACH TO BE MADE TO THE SOUTH AFRICAN GOVERNMENT. THE AIM

WOULD BE TO PERSUADE THE SOUTH AFRICANS TO INTRODUCE A SCHEME, POSSIBLY ON THE LINES OF OUR OWN, WHEREBY HONG KONG PEOPLE COULD BE GIVEN THE ASSURANCE OF SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONALITY, OR THE RIGHT TO SETTLE IN SOUTH AFRICA, BUT WOULD NOT BE REQUIRED TO LEAVE HONG KONG NOW IN ORDER TO SECURE THIS ASSURANCE. THIS LATTER

PROVISO IS OF COURSE VITAL: WE HAVE NO INTEREST IN STIMULATING AN IMMEDIATE OUTFLOW OF CAPITAL AND TALENT FROM THE TERRITORY. 2. MANY OF OUR POSTS ABROAD HAVE ALREADY BEEN INSTRUCTED TO

CONVEY THIS MESSAGE TO THEIR HOST GOVERNMENTS. THE RESPONSE SO FAR HAS BEEN ONLY MODERATELY ENCOURAGING. ALTHOUGH SOME COUNTRIES (SINGAPORE, FRANCE, BELGIUM, NEW ZEALAND) HAVE ANNOUNCED SCHEMES WHICH SERVE TO MEET OUR OBJECTIVES.

3.

WE HAVE SEEN A NUMBER OF PRESS REPORTS WHICH SUGGEST THAT

SOUTH AFRICA IS ALREADY ACTIVELY SEEKING TO ATTRACT HONG KONG

PROFESSIONALS AND INVESTORS, WITH SOME SUCCESS. A SELECTION OF THESE ARTICLES IS BEING FAXED TO YOU AND TO HONG KONG.

4.

WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR ADVICE ON THE FOLLOWING:

(A) THE ACCURACY OF THESE PRESS REPORTS AND THE EXTENT TO

WHICH THE RECRUITMENT OF PROFESSIONALS AND INVESTORS IN HONG KONG REPRESENT OFFICIAL SOUTH AFRICAN POLICY. IT WOULD BE USEFUL TO

KNOW WHETHER THESE MOVES ARE LIKELY TO CAUSE PROBLEMS WITH THE

RIGHT WING IN SOUTH AFRICA (AS SOME PRESS REPORTS HAVE SUGGESTED):

(B) THE LIKELY IMPLICATIONS OF OUR MAKING A FORMAL APPROACH

TO THE SOUTH AFRICAN GOVERNMENT. MIGHT THEY BE WILLING TO

COOPERATE IN THE WAY WE WANT QUERY WOULD THEY WELCOME THE

OPPORTUNITY TO GET INVOLVED IN AN INTERNATIONAL EXERCISE OF THIS

KIND QUERY OR MIGHT SUCH AN APPROACH BY US AT THIS STAGE BE

COUNTERPRODUCTIVE EG BY MAKING OTHER COUNTRIES LESS SYMPATHETIC

AND RESPONSIVE TO OUR EFFORTS TO GENERATE SUPPORT FOR HONG KONG

QUERY (SUCH AN APPROACH NEED NOT OF COURSE BE PUBLICISED

1

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CONFIDENTIAL