TNAG-2185-FCO40-3122-Ethnic-minorities-in-Hong-Kong-1990 — Page 88

CC Ms. Dent

Mr.

Morris

Mrs Grimsey

Mr. Moorey

PARLIAMENTARY UNDER

SECRETARY OF STATE

Mr. Page

Mr. Taylor

Mr. Morris (FCO)

Ако 3402

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

10 JUL 1990

HOME OFFICE

QUEEN ANNE'S GATE

LONDON SWIH 9AT

Dear Mr Harilela

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

REGISTR1

Action Taken

June 1990

Mr Peat Mrics Morgan

Mr Hobue

Ms Hancock

Wolo

Un for remotely this won't be the end of the story. Thank you for your letter of 4 May about the position of the non- Chinese ethnic minorities in Hong Kong. You also wrote to Francis Maude at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and I am replying on his behalf as well.

I am grateful for your Council's support for the Government's proposed legislation, but sorry to read that you consider that we have sidestepped responsibility for Hong Kong's non-ethnic minorites. We considered their position very carefully when formulating the assurance scheme, but concluded that it was neither right nor necessary to treat this group as a special category within the scheme.

The underlying principle of the scheme is that it should focus on those key personnel whose emigration would damage the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong. (It will also cater, on a case by case basis, for those who may be vulnerable.) It would be inappropriate to weight the points scheme in the way you suggest so as to favour applicants on the basis of their ethnic origins rather than their skills.

Our policy on the non-Chinese minorities is, by now, well known to you. It was set out by the Home Secretary in his letter of 18 January following his meeting with representatives of the Council in November last year; and it was examined in detail during the Commons Standing Committee Stage of the Bill. As I said during those proceedings, we do understand your genuine concern and worries. We are, however, confident that the provisions of the joint declaration, the availability of British Overseas citizenship for those who would otherwise be stateless down to the second generation born after 1997, and the specific Parliamentary assurance about consideration for admission to the United Kingdom in certain circusmtances, will safeguard the interests of the communities which your Counc represents.

uncis

Bew wirken у

Celin

PETER LLOYD

Лада

pa

H. N. Harilela Esq