TNAG-2940-FCO40-4216-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-ethnic-minorities-1993 — Page 106

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MARCH) ON THE DETAILS OF FUNDING THIS DELEGATION BUT IT WILL PROBABLY TAKE PLACE IN LATE MAY. DETAILS OF THE PROPOSAL ALSO FOLLOW BY FAX.

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THE CASE

THE CASE FOR THE ETHNIC MINORITIES IS CONTAINED IN THE REPORT FROM THE NATIONALITY SUB COMMITTEE, THE RECORDS OF SUB COMMITTEE MEETINGS (BOTH OF WHICH YOU HAVE) AND THE MOTION DEBATE.

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IN BRIEF, THE SUB-COMMITTEE'S CASE IS THAT MOST OF THE ESTIMATED 7,000 INVOLVED (VERY LARGELY OF INDIAN OR PAKISTANI ORIGIN) HAVE FEW REMAINING LINKS WITH THE SUB-CONTINENT AND MANY WERE BORN HERE. THEIR ROOTS ARE IN HONG KONG. THEY FEAR THAT THEY, OR THEIR DECENDENTS, WILL BECOME STATELESS AFTER 1997. THEY HAVE NO CULTURAL, SOCIAL OR ETHNIC LINKS TO CHINA.

9.

THE ETHNIC MINORITY AND THEIR SUPPORTERS POINT OUT THAT THEY WISH TO REMAIN IN HONG KONG AND THAT THE BRITISH PASSPORT IS states wit- MERELY A SECURITY BLANKET. THEY POINT OUT THAT HMG HAS PROVIDED RoAbode SECURITY FOR SOME BDTCS THROUGH THE BRITISH NATIONALITY SCHEME:

UK, a

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Mix is right? THEY ARE MERELY SEEKING THE SAME TREATMENT. THIS WOULD NOT

PRESENT AN IMMIGRATION PROBLEM FOR THE UNITED KINGDOM NOR SET A PRECEDENT FOR OTHER MINORITIES.

COMMENT

10. THE NATIONALITY SUB COMMITTEE WILL MEET AGAIN ON 31 MARCH, WHEN WE SHALL PROBABLY FACE PRESSURE TO DISCLOSE WHAT WE HAVE SAID TO YOU. WE PROPOSE TO INSIST THAT WE HAVE PUT THE CASE FORCEFULLY TO HMG AND SOUGHT SYMPATHETIC CONSIDERATION BY MINISTERS.

11.

IT WOULD HELP US IF WE COULD INDICATE TO THE SUB-COMMITTEE APPROXIMATELY WHEN YOU EXPECT TO BE ABLE TO GIVE US A SUBSTANTIVE REPLY. YOU MAY WISH TO LINK TIMING WITH THE DELEGATION REFERRED TO AT PARAGRAPH 6.

12.

YOU AND PEKING AND NEW DELHI MAY WISH TO BE AWARE OF, AND POSSIBLY CONFIRM AND CLARIFY, REPORTS OF TWO RECENT STATEMENTS BY THE CHINESE AND INDIAN AUTHORITIES ON THE ISSUE OF ETHNIC MINORITIES IN HONG KONG. THE FORMER WAS ATTRIBUTED TO LU PING AT A MEETING WITH THE INDIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, WHEN HE WAS REPORTED TO HAVE SAID THAT ETHNIC MINORITIES COULD REMAIN IN HONG

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