RESTRICTED
(404
071006 MDLIAN 6860
RESTRICTED
FM COPENHAGEN
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 399
OF 14160OZ NOVEMBER 90
AND TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
REC
Q DINOV 1990
DESK OFFICE.
INDEX
HONG KONG TELNO 3310 TO FCO : HONG KONG
:
1
PA
INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT
IT IS GOOD THAT THE DANISH FOREIGN MINISTER WENT SO FAR AS TO
TELL SIR D WILSON THAT THE DANISH GOVERNMENT HAD TAKEN A DECISION IN PRINCIPLE ON THE WORK/RESIDENCE PERMIT SCHEME THEY HAVE BEEN CONSIDERING SINCE THE SPRING (MY TELNO 92 REFERS). THE PERMANENT SECRETARY AT THE MFA CONFIRMED TO ME TODAY THAT HIS MINISTER HA SPOKEN OF A DECISION IN PRINCIPLE, ALTHOUGH HE ALSO SAID THE JUSTICE MINISTER HAD YET TO BE BROUGHT FULLY ON BOARD. A DANISH DAILY HAS QUOTED ELLEMANN-JENSEN AS HAVIN PROMISED DANISH FIRMS WHEN HE WAS IN HONG KONG THAT SOME OF THEIR LEADING LOCAL EMPLOYEES WOULD BE ABLE TO COME TO DENMARK IF THINGS WENT WRONG AFTER 1997.
(401)
2. IN RESPONSE TO ENQUIRIES WE MADE BEFORE THE MINISTER'S VISIT WE HAD BEEN TOLD NO DECISION HAD BEEN TAKEN CASTLEY'S TELELETTER OF 9 NOVEMBER TO MORRIS, HKD (NOT TO HONG KONG) REFERS). SINCE HIS RETURN THE HEAD OF THE MFA GEOGRAPHICAL DEPARTMENT CONCERNED, WHO WAS WITH THE MINISTER IN HONG KONG, HAS SUGGESTED TO US THAT ELLEMANN-JENSEN WOULD HAVE WANTED TO LEAVE SIR D WILSON WITH THE IMPRESSION THAT ALTHOUGH THE MATTER WAS NOT (NOT) SEWN UP, HE WAS OPTIMISTIC THAT THE OUTCOME WOULD BE SATISFACTORY. MUNK RASMUSSEN COMMENTED THAT ELLEMANN-JENSEN HAD COME UNDER STRONG PRESSURE FROM THE DANISH
BUSINESS COMMUNTIY IN HONG KONG.
3.
THE NEXT STEP WILL BE FOR ELLEMANN-JENSEN TO TAKE THIS UP AGAIN WITH THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE. THIS IS UNLIKELY TO HAPPEN IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE AS HE HAS COME BACK TO SOMETHING OF A DOMESTIC POLITICAL CRISIS, WHICH MAY WELL LEAD TO AN EARLY ELECTION. HOWEVER WE WILL GO ON PRESSING THE DANES, AND WILL SEEK TO HOLD THEM TO THE STATEMENT THAT A DECISION IN PRINCIPLE HAS BEEN TAKEN. THE JUSTICE MINISTER'S AGREEMENT IS NOT A FOREGONE CONCLUSION: HIS OFFICIALS HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO ASSURE US OF A SATISFACTORY OUTCOME, AND IN THE NEWS ITEM REFFERED TO ABOVE ELLEMANN-JENSEN IS REPEORTED AS SAYING THIS IS A VERY SENSITIVE QUESTION AND A BIT OF A POLITICAL HORNET'S NEST AT THE MOMENT IN DENMARK, WHERE THERE IS TALK OF LIMITING IMMIGRATION.' MEANWHILE OFFICIALS SAY DETAILS OF THE SCHEME HAVE YET TO BE WORKED OUT, BUT THAT IT MIGHT COVER A TOTAL OF 100-150
1
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