TNAG-2194-FCO40-3131-Hong-Kong-nationality-package-1990 — Page 234

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CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 28133OZ FCO

TELNO 1082

OF 281145Z MARCH 90

AND TO PRIORITY BTC HONG KONG

235

131603

MDHIAN 6257

нко

34014

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

2 5MAY 1990

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

REGISTRY

PA

tution Taken

NATIONALITY SCHEME : PRESS REPORTS

1. YOU MAY WISH TO KNOW THAT COMMERCIAL RADIO HONG KONG RELAYED THIS MORNING (28 MARCH) A REPORT PICKED UP FROM CHANNEL FOUR TV IN

LONDON.

2. THE COMMERCIAL RADIO REPORT SAID THAT A POINTS SYSTEM WOULD BE USED IN DECIDING WHICH HONG KONG RESIDENTS WOULD BE GRANTED BRITISH PASSPORTS. PASSPORTS WOULD BE GIVEN TO EIGHT CATEGORIES OF PROFESSIONAL WORKERS, INCLUDING LAWYERS, ACCOUNTANTS, TEACHERS, SENIOR MANAGERS, DOCTORS AND PEOPLE IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY. THEY WOULD BE SELECTED ON THE BASIS OF HOW THEY MET QUALIFICATIONS LAID DOWN BY HMG. THE MAIN CRITERIA WOULD BE EDUCATION, PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS, LINKS WITH BRITAIN, ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILL, AND HOW VITAL THE APPLICANTS' PROFESSIONAL SKILLS WERE TO HONG KONG. MOST

OF THOSE GRANTED PASSPORTS WOULD BE BETWEEN 30 AND 40 YEARS OLD.

3. GRATEFUL TO KNOW WHETHER BACKGROUND BRIEFING IN PREPARATION FOR

THE PUBLICATION OF THE BILL AND SCHEME HAS STARTED. WE EXPECT TO BE QUESTIONED VERY CLOSELY BY THE MEDIA ON THE DETAILS OF THE SCHEME FOLLOWING THIS REPORT. SO FAR WE HAVE HELD TO THE LINE THAT THE CONTENT OF THE SCHEME AND THE TIMING OF ITS PUBLICATION ARE YET TO

BE DECIDED BY MINISTERS. THIS LINE WILL QUICKLY BECOME UNTENABLE IN FACE OF THE SORT OF REPORTS BEING CARRIED BY CHANNEL FOUR.

WILSON

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PAGE CONFIDENTIAL