Background
1. In parallel with our own nationality package we have been encouraging other countries to come up with schemes similar in their aim, (ie to give people confidence to remain in Hong Kong by offering a foreign right of abode without their having to leave the territory).
2.
We have achieved some success. France, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, Singapore and the USA have all announced schemes. Denmark falls within another group of countries who are still considering what they can do. During a visit to Hong Kong by the Danish Foreign Minister
he told the Governor that a decision had been taken in
principle to offer work/resident permits to leading local employees of Danish firms in Hong Kong, but it had still to
be agreed by the Justice Ministry. He was optimistic of
success.
3. Our Ambassador in Copenhagen has now reported that the Justice Minister sees the Hong Kong scheme as part of a much wider range of immigration issues (eg the Tamil Affair about which the Home Secretary has been briefed). He would like
to defer a decision on the Hong Kong scheme until full discussions on general immigration into Denmark, in the summer. The Ambassador has recommended that, to keep up the pressure on the Danes it would be worth reminding Mr Engell
of the importance we place on this issue.
MTHAUG/2
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