CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO ROUTINE FCO
TELNO 638
OF 230958Z APRIL 93
INFO ROUTINE PEKING
CONFIDENTIAL
002510 MDLIAN 8750
47
pu.
L HKD
нко забрь
27 APF 1993
TOP COPY Q DIST?
OUR TELNO 494: LEGCO DEBATE ON ETHNIC MINORITIES
1.
WE HAVE GIVEN SOME THOUGH TO WHEN AND HOW LEGCO SHOULD BE INFORMED OF YOUR DECISION ON THE REPRESENTATIONS WHICH FOLLOWED THE DEBATE ON 10 MARCH.
2.
THE HOUSE COMMITTEE HAS DECIDED TO SEND A DELEGATION TO LONDON TO LOBBY FOR THE ETHNIC MINORITIES (THEIR AGENDA MAY INCLUDE THE BRITISH NATIONALITY SCHEME AND WIVES AND WIDOWS OF EX-SERVICEMEN AS WELL). THE DELEGATION WILL COMPRISE THREE OR FOUR MEMBERS AND IS TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED FOR EARLY TO MID-JUNE.
3.
WE THINK THAT THERE ARE THREE OPTIONS
(A) FOR YOU TO RESPOND TO THE REPRESENTATIONS BEFORE THE DELEGATION GOES TO LONDON. THIS WOULD HAVE THE ADVANTAGE OF PROVIDING AN EARLY RESPONSE AND WOULD FREE US BOTH FROM THE ACCUSATION THAT WE ARE DRAGGING OUR FEET ON THIS ISSUE. HOWEVER, IT WOULD BE UNLIKELY TO HEAD OFF THE DELEGATION, WHICH WOULD THEN USE ITS VISIT TO LONDON TO START ANOTHER CAMPAIGN ON THIS ISSUE.
(B)
THIS TO RESPOND TO THE DELEGATION WHILE IT IS IN LONDON. WOULD GIVE FACE TO THE DELEGATION AND, FROM OUR POINT OF VIEW, WOULD MAKE IT CLEAR WHERE THE DECISION ON THIS MATTER LIES. HOWEVER, ALTHOUGH THE RESPONSE COULD BE BASED ON THE NATIONALITY SUB COMMITTEE'S REPORT AND THE RECORD OF THE 10 MARCH DEBATE WHICH WE SENT TO YOU, IT MIGHT BE DIFFICULT TO AVOID THE IMPRESSION THAT YOUR DECISION HAD, IN FACT, BEEN TAKEN BEFORE THE DELEGATION ARRIVED, AND THEREFORE THAT THEIR VIEWS HAD NOT BEEN TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.
(C) TO LISTEN TO THE VIEWS OF THE DELEGATION IN JUNE AND THEN TO RESPOND AFTERWARDS. THIS DELAYS MATTERS SOMEWHAT, BUT WE THINK THAT ALLOWING THE HEAT TO DISSIPATE MIGHT BE NO BAD THING. IT WOULD DEMONSTRATE THAT THE VIEWS OF LEGCO, IN THE SUB- COMMITTEE'S REPORT, IN THE DEBATE AND AS EXPRESSED BY THE
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