TNAG-2940-FCO40-4216-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-ethnic-minorities-1993 — Page 63

HKD 346/6

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6 MAY 1993

R

FROM:

10A 1993

Deborah Barnes Jones

Hong Kong Department

DATE:

6 May 1993

QB

Cc:

Ms Everett, News Dept Mr Morris, NTCD

52

Mr Ricketts

(Mr Hum

PS/Mr Goodlad

mimiter

Ay 6's.

ETHNIC MINORITY IN HONG KONG: LEGCO DELEGATION TO

VISIT LONDON

Problem

1. Hong Kong asked us at the end of March to seek Ministers'

views on LegCo's representations for full British citizenship

for the non-Chinese ethnic minority. Hong Kong have now asked

us to hold up any response to LegCo until a delegation visit

in June to lobby on this issue (and probably on other

nationality related issues). What to do?

Α

A B

В

Recommendation

2. That there should be no formal response to LegCo until after the visit of the delegation. The Home Office agree this

would be best. I submit a telegram to Hong Kong.

Background

A LegCo debate in March passed a motion recommending

granting full British nationality to members of ethnic

minorities and called on the Hong Kong Government (HKG) to

make representations to HMG. Hong Kong reported this in their telno 494. We took this to be a formal request to seek Ministerial views and submitted to Mr Goodlad (my submission

of 19 April). Informal soundings of the Home Office showed no

sub.legcovis.NAT

JEB/JRB

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