TNAG-2185-FCO40-3122-Ethnic-minorities-in-Hong-Kong-1990 — Page 178

CONFIDENTIAL

161623

MDHIAN 7727

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 643

OF 20100OZ FEBRUARY 90

PERSONAL FOR PAUL HKD FROM GOVERNOR

PAUL

MY TELNO 622: ETHNIC MINORITIES

HIGD 340/2

RECEIVED IN

2 1 MAR 1990

DESK OFFICER INDEX

PA

REGISTR Action Take:

1. I HAVE JUST SEEN TSANG'S TELEGRAM TO YOU IN REPLY TO YOUR TELELETTER OF 6 FEBRUARY. WHEN I SAW THE HOME SECRETARY IN LONDON ON 15 NOVEMBER WE DISCUSSED THE PROBLEM OF THE ETHNIC MINORITIES. I TOLD HIM THAT THERE WAS CLEAR AND CONTINUING POLITICAL PRESSURE HERE AND ON HMG (PARTICULARLY IN LIGHT OF THE FAC RECOMMENDATION) TO DO SOMETHING FOR THE MINORITIES. I SUGGESTED THERE WOULD BE ADVANTAGE IN PRE-EMPTING THIS PRESSURE BY TAKING CARE OF THE MINORITIES AS A SPECIAL AND SEPARATE GROUP. YOU MAY REMEMBER THAT I MADE A SIMILAR POINT TO YOU WHEN WE MET IN ROBIN MCLAREN'S OFFICE.

2. I CONTINUE TO THINK THAT IT WOULD MAKE SENSE, AND BE POLITICALLY WISE, TO BRING IN ARRANGEMENTS TO DEAL WITH THIS SMALL GROUP WHOSE CLAIMS TO ATTENTION ARE SO DIFFERENT FROM OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. BUT IT WOULD HAVE TO BE DONE AS A SEPARATE GROUP OUTSIDE THE PACKAGE. BRINGING THEM, AS A GROUP, WITHIN THE PACKAGE WOULD MAKE NO/NO SENSE EITHER POLITICALLY OR ADMINISTRATIVELY. TO DO SO WOULD REDUCE THE NUMBERS: TAKE PLACES AWAY FROM PEOPLE WHO OUGHT TO BE INCLUDED BECAUSE THEY ARE NEEDED IN HONG KONG: AND MAKE A NONSENSE OF SELECTION CRITERIA.

3. IF SEPARATE ARRANGEMENTS WERE MADE FOR THIS GROUP MINISTERS WOULD STILL BE WELL WITHIN THEIR LIMIT OF 225,000 AND COULD SAY SO.

WILSON

YYYY

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CONFIDENTIAL