CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 3568
OF 30110OZ NOVEMBER 90
INFO ROUTINE BUENOS ARIES
CONFIDENTIAL
415
147646 MDLIAN 1247
TOP COPY Q DIST?
ARGENTINA: PROPOSAL TO OFFER RIGHT OF ABODE TO HONG KONG PEOPLE
14414
1. WE HAVE NO DIFFICULTY WITH THE ARGENTINE SCHEME OUTLINED IN TUR EXCEPT FOR THE REQUIREMENT TO EMIGRATE TO ARGENTINA BEFORE 1997. IF THE ARGENTINE GOVERNMENT INSISTED ON THIS, THIS SCHEME WOULD RUN COUNTER TO OUR OBJECTIVE OF ANCHORING PEOPLE IN HONG KONG IN THE RUN UP TO 1997 AND BEYOND. GRATEFUL IF THE AMBASSADOR WOULD URGE THE ARGENTINE GOVERNMENT TO BE FLEXIBLE AND SPECIFICALLY NOT TO REQUIRE THE PROSPECTIVE IMMIGRANTS FROM HONG KONG TO SETTLE IN ARGENTINA BY 1997. IF IMMIGRANT VISAS OF UNLIMITED VALIDITY COULD NOT BE ISSUED, THE SECOND BEST WOULD BE VISAS WITH TEN-YEAR VALIDITY WHICH MIGHT BE RENEWED ON REQUEST.
FORD
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
59
.HONG KONG AGREEMENT
.(RESTRICTED)
LIMITED
HKD
HD/FED
HD/LAD
NEWS D
ADDITIONAL
3
MS FOAKES LEGAL ADVISERS MS BARRETT LEGAL ADVISERS
NNNN
DISTRIBUTION
62
PUSD
RAD
PS/LORD CAITHNESS
PS/MR LENNOX-BOYD
MR MCLAREN
MR BURNS
MR FIFOOT LEGAL ADVISERS
PAGE 1 CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
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CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
TELNO 2267
OF 28113OZ NOVEMBER 90
НКО 3401
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY 2 9 NOV 1990
OFSK OFFICER
Dak
INFO ROUTINE BUENOS AIRES
CRY
PA
Acton Taken
ARGENTINA: PROPOSAL TO OFFER RIGHT OF ABODE TO HONG KONG PEOPLE
1. A PRESIDENTIAL ADVISER IN THE ARGENTINE PLANNING SECRETARIAT (LABAKE) HAS WRITTEN TO OUR AMBASSADOR IN BUENOS AIRES ABOUT A PROPOSED SCHEME TO GRANT PERMANENT RESIDENCE IN ARGENTINA TO HONG KONG PEOPLE. THE SCHEME IS ESSENTIALLY AN INSURANCE POLICY WHEREBY, IN RETURN FOR A LOAN TO THE ARGENTINE GOVERNMENT, THE LENDER ACQUIRES THE OPTION TO EMIGRATE TO ARGENTINA AT ANY TIME UP TO 1997.
2.
UNDER THE SCHEME, THE PROSPECTIVE IMMIGRANT WOULD HAVE TO DEPOSIT US DOLLARS 30,000 IN AN OVERSEAS BRANCH OF AN ARGENTINE BANK. THIS WOULD THEN BE AVAILABLE TO THE ARGENTINE GOVERNMENT FOR FIVE TO SEVEN YEARS, AND AT LEAST UNTIL 1997. AFTER THIS PERIOD, AND WHETHER OR NOT THE PROSPECTIVE IMMIGRANT HAS EVENTUALLY DECIDED TO EMIGRATE TO ARGENTINA, HE/SHE COULD COLLECT THE DEPOSIT PLUS INTEREST (CALCULATED AT 3 POINTS BELOW THE LIBOR RATE). BY VIRTUE OF MAKING THIS DEPOSIT, THE WOULD-BE APPLICANT WOULD BE GRANTED THE RIGHT TO EMIGRATE TO ARGENTINA AT ANY TIME BEFORE 1997. AFTER 2 CONSECUTIVE YEARS OF PERMANENT RESIDENCE IN ARGENTINA, THE APPLICANT COULD THEN OBTAIN ARGENTINE CITIZENSHIP.
3.
LABAKE HAS TOLD THE AMBASSADOR SEPARATELY THAT THIS PROPOSAL IS PART OF A WIDER PLAN TO REPOPULATE THE 75 PER CENT OF ARGENTINA WHERE ONLY 25 PER CENT OF THE POPULATION LIVE. NEGOTIATIONS ARE APPARENTLY ALREADY WELL ADVANCED WITH ITALY AND GERMANY TO ATTRACT IMMIGRANTS.
COMMENT
4. YOU MAY RECALL THAT THE ARGENTINE CONSUL GENERAL IN HONG KONG FLOATED A SIMILAR IDEA WHEN HE CALLED ON THIS DEPARTMENT EARLIER IN THE YEAR (BUENOS AIRES TELNO 280 OF 18 APRIL COPIED TO HONG KONG). AT THAT TIME THE ARGENTINE MFA WAS UNABLE TO THROW ANY LIGHT ON THIS REPORT. BUT IT NOW APPEARS THAT THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN AN ELEMENT OF TRUTH IN IT.
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