CONFIDENTIAL
PUS'S TALK WITH INDIAN FOREIGN SECRETARY, 12 MARCH 1992
Hong Kong: International Support/Right of Abode
Background
International Support
1. We have not asked the Indians to lobby the Chinese in
support of Hong Kong (as eg the Japanese have done).
Despite the recent warming in Sino-Indian relations
(including a visit in December by Li Peng) India's influence
on this is likely to be slight.
Right of Abode
2.
There are about 11,000 people of Indian extraction
in Hong Kong, 4,500 of whom are British Dependent Territory Citizens (BDTCs). About 3,000 of these may have no other
form of nationality (Indian Nationality Law does not allow dual nationality at present).
3.
Under the Hong Kong (British Nationality) Order 1986 any
BDTCs who would otherwise become stateless on 1 July 1997
will acquire British Overseas Citizenship.
4. In 1989 and 1990, Hong Kong Indian Associations lobbied HMG vigorously for special consideration under the Nationality package for non-Chinese ethnic minorities in Hong Kong. They were disappointed when Parliament decided that the ethnic minorities should receive no special
treatment under the scheme. But the Home Secretary restated
previous assurances, that if, against all expectations, members of non-Chinese ethnic minorities came under pressure
JH2AAX/1
CONFIDENTIAL
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