TNAG-2380-FCO40-3459-Hong-Kong-nationality-British-Nationality-(Hong-Kong)-Act-19-1991 — Page 196

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

FM BTC HONG KONG TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 80

MARCH 91

TOP COPY

AMENDED DISTRIBUTION

OF 061058Z MARCH 91 AND TO IMMEDIATE DTI

STRAT

Q DIST?

HKD 340/5

DTI FOR LOVE, OT2

6

154766 MDHIAN 7564

BRITISH UNDERTAKINGS

1. THE ADVISORY GROUP MET ON 6 MARCH AND APPROVED A FURTHER 34

BRITISH UNDERTAKINGS.

2. DETAILS OF THE COMPANIES CONCERNED AND THE BASIS FOR THEIR APPROVAL WILL BE SENT BY FAX 7 MARCH. MOST WERE ROUTINE, BUT TWO MORE DIFFICULT CASES APPROVED WERE THE KCRC AND CAVENDISH INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS LTD (CIH).

3. KCRC WAS CONSIDERED IN THE LIGHT OF THE DECISION ON MTR AS REPORTED IN MY TELNO 62 OF 21 FEBRUARY. THE DECISION TO APPROVE WAS MADE ON THE GROUNDS OF BRITISH MANAGEMENT (DI) AND TRADE

(DIII). IT WAS FURTHER NOTED THAT THE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN KCRC

AND MTR WERE SUCH THAT A DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN THEM WOULD BE HARD TO JUSTIFY. INDEED, IN THE PUBLIC MIND, KCRC WOULD BE CONSIDERED THE MORE BRITISH COMPANY FOR HISTORICAL REASONS.

4. CIH WAS RECONSIDERED IN LIGHT OF ITS PRIVATISATION AND 5 FEBRUARY WHEN IT BEGAN A MOVE TO BECOME A WHOLLY OWNED SUBSIDIARY

OF HUTCHINSON WHAMPOA AND THEREFORE QUALIFIED UNDER THE SAME CRITERIA, IE DIII AND DIV. THE COMMITTEE HOWEVER DECIDED NOT TO

RECONSIDER CHEUNG KONG HOLDINS AS NO NEW INFORMATION WAS OFFERED.

5. THE COMMITTEE ALSO MADE RULINGS ON A LIST F COMPANIES TAKEN FROM EXTRACTS OF APPLICATIONS FORWARDED BY IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT. THOSE WHICH ARE CLEARLY ONLY SLIGHT VARIATIONS IN THE NAMES OF COMPANIES ON THE PUBLISHED LIST HAVE BEEN APPROVED WITHOUT RESUBMISSION. WE ARE STILL LEFT WITH A SMALL RESIDUE OF COMPANIES, FORWARDED BY IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT, ON WHICH WE ARE SEEKING FURTHER INFORMATION BEFORE RULING CAN BE MADE.

6. I HOPE WE MIGHT HAVE FCO AND DTI APPROVAL FOR THESE LATEST

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CONFIDENTIAL