TNAG-2180-FCO40-3117-Hong-Kong-nationality-international-support-1990 — Page 144

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INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

INFO SAVING EC POSTS

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RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

02 MAY 1990

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

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ACCOL

YOUR TELNO 605 TO HONG KONG AND TELECON SULLIVAN/STONE HKD:

HONG KONG: INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT

SUMMARY

1.

IN A PARLIAMENTARY ANSWER, MFA APPEARS TO RULE OUT PASSPORTS FOR HONG KONG CITIZENS OR ANY SPECIAL STATUS FOR SUCH CITIZENS APPLYING FOR DUTCH NATIONALITY. QUESTION OF RESIDENCE RIGHTS STILL BEING EXAMINED.

DETAIL

2. ON 30 MARCH, VAN DEN BROEK ANSWERED A WRITTEN QUESTION TABLED BY TWO MPS OF THE VVD (LIBERAL) PARTY ABOUT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S REQUEST THAT THE DUTCH CONSIDER OFFERING RESIDENCE RIGHTS TO HONG KONG CITIZENS EMPLOYED BY DUTCH COMPANIES IN HONG KONG. HE SAID THAT DUTCH LAW DID NOT PERMIT THE ISSUE OF PASSPORTS TO PERSONS WHO DID NOT HAVE DUTCH NATIONALITY. HE ADDED THAT APPLICATIONS BY HONG KONG CHINESE FOR DUTCH NATIONALITY WOULD BE CONSIDERED IN THE LIGHT OF

EXISTING DUTCH NATIONALITY LEGISLATION.

3. I SPOKE TODAY TO VAN WALSUM (POLITICAL DIRECTOR) TO ASK HIM WHETHER THIS WRITTEN ANSWER CONSTITUTED A REPLY TO MR MAUDE'S RECENT APPROACH TO VAN DEN BROEK. HE SAID THAT IT DID NOT. VAN WALSUM WAS INSISTING THAT THE ISSUE OF RESIDENCE RIGHTS BE LOOKED AT AGAIN IN THE LIGHT OF THE MATERIAL WHICH WE HAD PASSED TO THE MFA ABOUT SCHEMES UNDER SCRUTINY IN OTHER COUNTIRES. HE WAS NOT (REPEAT NOT) OPTIMISTIC THAT THE RESPONSE WOULD BE POSITIVE IN THE DUTCH CASE. BUT WE WOULD BE GIVEN A DIRECT REPLY ONCE CONSIDERATION OF THE ISSUE WAS CONCLUDED.

JENKINS

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