TNAG-2941-FCO40-4217-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-ethnic-minorities-1993 — Page 38

the circumstances which the Home Secretary envisaged, we would not expect to distinguish between individual British Nationals

under pressure to leave Hong Kong and seeking sanctuary here.

I suggest that when the subject is raised in future it would

be right to make clear that the assurance was devised

expressly for the ethnic minorities. However, if asked to

confirm in supplementaries what the Home Secretary said on 9

June, we should do so. I know the Governor is concerned that

any attempt to resile will play very badly in Hong Kong. I

suggest something on the following lines;

"The assurance which I have restated today, as the House

knows, was devised expressly in response to concern about

the position of members of the non-Chinese ethnic

minorities in Hong Kong after 1997. However in the

unlikely event that any other individual British National

came under pressure to leave the Territory, I would expect

the Government of the day to adopt a similarly sympathetic

view."

am

corying this

lester

to

the Governor

ward.let.SA

SLM

ALASTAIR GOODLAD