TNAG-2181-FCO40-3118-Hong-Kong-nationality-international-support-1990 — Page 97

AUSTRALIA,

REF:

Destroy after Register ECO 3538.

Received in Registry

AUSTRALIAN CONSULATE GENERZAPR1990

HONG KONG

Desk Officer

INDEX

PA

2

NONE

166

PRIORITY

CONSUL GENERAL

20 April 1990

Dear Pets,

Further to our telephone conversation on Tuesday on Mr Francis Maude's visit to Hong Kong, I note at least that in the press conference he did on one occasion acknowledge that there had been no change in Australian immigration policy. Elsewhere, however, he said:

accumulated pledges and potential pledges that Ι

was able to announce

"... everything in my statement yesterday stands firm."

an assurance without the need to leave Hong Kong that's the broad effect which each scheme is seeking to achieve."

ן

the assurance that there is somewhere to go, at some stage in the future, if

if things get bad here that's what all of these schemes in their different ways seek to achieve."

the fact is that altogether this actually adds to the package which we have announced."

"We

shall continue to work hard with these other governments to bring these

these various schemes to fruition

Unfortunately, such statements readily give the misleading impression of special, or potentially special, Australian arrangements for Hong Kong, which is not the case.

PE

On a point of detail, Mr Maude also said that the flexibility within Australian policy

actually enables people not to have to leave Hong Kong absolutely while gaining nationality ...". This is simply not case either.

the

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