TNAG-2940-FCO40-4216-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-ethnic-minorities-1993 — Page 68

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TELNO 427

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YOUR TELNOS 494 AND 638: LEGCO DEBATE ON

ETHNIC MINORITIES

1.

Thank you for confirmation (your second TUR) that Legco will send a delegation to lobby for the (non Chinese) ethnic minorities in the first part of June. You may find it useful to know how we are thinking of handling the issue at this end.

2.

We took your first TUR to constitute a formal request for Ministers to consider the representations made by Legco in their debate of 10 March on full British citizenship for the ethnic minorities. We accordingly submitted to Ministers. Mr GoodLad has since written to Mr Wardle at the Home Office (the lead Department on nationality matters) to inform him about Legco's representations and to seek his views. We have every reason to expect that the Home Office will confirm that they see for introducing Legislation to grant citizenship to this category.

We are

3. In your second TUR you recommend that any formal response should not/not issue until after the delegation's visit. concerned that LegCo may think the gap between the debate and a response from HMG excessive if it does not issue until early to mid June. But if you are satisified that you can finesse this point and that the delay will not be seen as a slight to LegCo, Ministers would be content to follow your advice. Grateful also for your advice on what Mr Goodlad might say about this, when he visits Hong Kong (29 May to 1 June). We imagine he might say that, on Hong Kong's advice, Ministers were awaiting the delegation's visit to London before taking a final decision. we do not wish to raise false hopes.

But

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0 7 MAY 1993

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