27-M87-1993
12:47
注
HI
GOVERNMENT HOUSE
852 531 1988
=.06
ETHNIC MINORITIES
Background
The Legislative Council recently endorsed a Nationality Sub-committee Report asking for the ethnic minorities in Hong Kong, who are mainly of
On
Pakistani/Indian origin to be granted full British citizenship. There are estimated to be approximately
2,000 families or 7,000 individuals in the category. strong urging from the Legislative Council, the Hong Kong Government has put the case to London.
2.
The ethnic minorities will not be stateless after
1997. Those who are BDTCs can apply for and receive a BN (0) passport before 1 July 1997; if they do not apply, then they will automatically become BOCS; they have been
offered Chinese citizenship by China; and they have been given a public assurance (by Baroness Young in 1985) of sympathetic treatment by Britain in a worst-case situation in future. But many feel the option of integrating in Hong Kong is inappropriate.
Line to Take
M
FLY
3.
The Hong Kong Government has put the case of the ethnic minorities to the British Government strongly.
colleagues in the Home Office are considering it and will
discuss it with the delegation from the Legislative Council, which I understand will visit London in the next
week or 50.
4.
This case has been considered before by Ministers
and it would be wrong to raise false hopes.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.