TNAG-2939-FCO40-4215-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-ethnic-minorities-1993 — Page 19

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香港下亞

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17MX OUR Ref :

SBCR 1/2/1162/88

ECK YOUR REF

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TUTUL

Foreign & Commonwealth Office

(Attn: Deborah Barnes Jones

Hong Kong Department)

London SW1A 2AH

Dear Ms Jones,

IN.

Ethnic Minorities

FAXO

GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT

LOWER ALBERT ROAD

HONG KONG

27 January 1992

HHKO 340/6

нко

27 AN 1993

تھے۔

CEF

4

Further to Simon Vickers' letter of 14 January I can now report on the Nationality Sub-Committee on 18 January, which he attended, as well as enclose the draft reply to the Indian Resources Group (in response to their letter also attached) that went to Government House for the Governor's consideration.

This second meeting was much more restrained, quite possibly because the statement by Lu Ping last week making clear the Indians would be able to have Chinese citizenship/SAR passports undermined a key strand of the Indian's case for special treatment over and above that offered to other BKBDTCS. They did however make a representation to the Sub-Committee on how this assurance was not clear. I attach that too,

I will send you the minutes of this week's meeting. The next one, on 9 Feruary, will be devoted to a report on foreign recognition of the BN (0) passport.

At the meeting after that Dr. Vickers will have to report on progress with respect to looking again at the wives & Widows of Hong Kong veterans which the Governor has asked us to do, and which the Chief Secretary via Mr McGregor told them we were doing (reference my Telno 2973). In case this comes up in the meetings this week in the Home Office, it should be said that we find it very unlikely that there is anything more that can be done under the BNA 1981 for these (and we have ruled out the BNS 1990), beyond the assurances given in 1986 and 1990, but it is possible that the Governor may ask the HOME Secretary to see if he can find a way to accommodate further these very few. I attach the result of our thinking in the form of a minute $ for S sent to the Governor today on this to help with your briefing.

/I apologize