TNAG-2638-FCO40-3830-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-ethnic-minorities-1992 — Page 65

12 NOV '92 15:50 B4 LINO 051 255 1160

Ms D Barnes-Jones

Hong Kong Department FCO

HKD

340/4.

pu

etumia

P.1/2

17

mincully HIST 16/1.

JIMMY MCGREGOR'S MOTION ON BRITISH NATIONALITY FOR EURASIANS IN HONG KONG

16

Thank you for copying to me yesterday's telegram from Hong Kong. The line which they propose to take in the Leg Co debate is in accordance with the policy on Eurasians agreed in 1990. The Eurasians will probably have heard it before from one of their spokesmen, Eric Ho, who as President of the Welfare League raised the issue with politicians in the UK in 1990.

2. One point I note is that he was told by your Minister of State, Francis Maude, in a letter dated 13 July 1990 "We recognise that members of the Eurasian community may well be unclear about what their position will be and this uncertainty inevitably causes concern. We shall discuss this with the Chinese authorities to see if they can clarify the position and if there is anything more that either they or we can do to reassure the Eurasian community that their future is secure." I am not sure if the outcome of this (if there was any) was conveyed to the Eurasians. If it was not then the question may be put in the debate.

3.

On the detail of Hong Kong's telegram I have the following comments:-

â.

b.

C.

The answer to their question at the end of section (A) is that BOCs are eligible for UK passport facilities - they can travel on a BOC passport - and also for the normal consular protection afforded to British nationals.

I would replace the second sentence in (C) with the following "HMG believes that with the agreement on right of abode contained in the Joint Declaration and the assurances covering stateleness and situations involving pressure to leave Hong Kong, it has made fair provision for this group and that it would not be appropriate for special provision to be made for them under the Selection Scheme. Members of the minority communities who meet the criteria set out in the Selection Scheme Order 1990 will, of course,...

I would replace the first sentence contained in (D) with "I have every confidence that the Joint Declaration remains the surest base for the future of Hong Kong and

and I am satisfied that we have taken adequate measures to safeguard the interests of all the people of the territory.