CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM BTC HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 25
OF 24100OZ JANUARY 90
MIPT : NATIONALITY PACKAGE
Q DIST
ако 34014
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
10 APR 1990
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
PA
REGISTRY Action Taken
SUMMARY
146
047037
MDLIAN 2829
1. IF TSANG'S REMARKS ACCURATELY REFLECT
SSTU
IN LONDON ON THERE IS A HINT
THIS DELICATE ISSUE THEN WE NEED PARALLEL GUIDANCE. IN HIS COMMENTS THAT IN THE ALLOCATION OF PASSPORTS, BRITISH INTERESTS MAY NOT GET ANY SPECIAL CONSIDERATION IF THIS IS THE CASE I SUGGEST WE MAY WISH TO REMEDY THIS.
DETAIL
2. THESE REMARKS BY TSANG WILL HEIGHTEN THE ALREADY WIDESPREAD SPECULATION HERE ABOUT THE PACKAGE. MEDIA INTEREST REMAINS VERY HIGH. IN THE ABSENCE OF ANY INFORMATION TO THE CONTRARY WE ARE STICKING TO THE LINE THAT NO DETAILS, FURTHER TO THOSE PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED, WILL BE AVAILABLE UNTIL THE BILL IS LAID BEFORE PARLIAMENT.
3. I ASSUME THAT TSANG'S COMMENTS ACCURATELY REFLECT HIS TALKS IN LONDON. IF WE ARE TO RETAIN CREDIBILITY AS AN OUTLET FOR HMG'S VIEWS ON THIS VERY DELICATE SUBJECT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF WE COULD BE EQUALLY WELL INFORMED. WE ARE LIKELY TO BE ASKED TO COMMENT ON OR CONFIRM WHAT TSANG HAS SAID. THERE WILL BE PARTICULAR INTEREST IN THE MEANS OF ADMINISTRATION OF THE SCHEME, THE LIKELY PRESENCE AND WORKING LOCATION OF HOME OFFICE OFFICIALS SENT HERE TO PREPARE FOR IT OR IMPLEMENT IT ETC. GUIDANCE ON THESE ASPECTS WOULD BE PARTICULARLY VALUABLE.
4. NO ONE COULD QUARREL WITH THE ASSERTION THAT PROCEDURES MUST BE OPEN, JUST AND FAIR. HOWEVER I SUGGEST WE SHOULD KEEP IN MIND THAT THE HEAVY EMPHASIS ON SUCH QUALITIES IN AWARDING COMMERCIAL CONTRACTS HERE LEADS TO A SITUATION WHERE BRITISH FIRMS CERTAINLY GET NO ADVANTAGES, AND INDEED ARE ARGUABLY DISCRIMINATED AGAINST BECAUSE OF THE EFFORTS TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE SHOULD SEE THAT NO FAVOURS ARE GIVEN TO BRITAIN. I HOPE THAT ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE PASSPORT SCHEME WILL ALLOW SOME CONSIDERATION
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CONFIDENTIAL
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