TNAG-2942-FCO40-4218-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-ethnic-minorities-1993 — Page 72

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 1192

OF 201218Z JULY 93

CONFIDENTIAL

TOP COPY Q DIST?

109

072406

MDHIAN 9460

ETHNIC MINORITIES

SUMMARY

1.

HOUSE OF LORDS DEBATE AND EXCO VIEWS PROVIDE FURTHER REASONS FOR A RECONSIDERATION OF THE POSITION ON ETHNIC MINORITIES.

DETAIL

2. THE OUTCOME OF THE MOTION DEBATE IN THE LORDS HAS BEEN GIVEN WIDE PUBLICITY IN HONG KONG. YESTERDAY, EXCO MEMBERS HELD A MEETING WITH THE LEGCO NATIONALITY SUB-COMMITTEE. THIS MORNING, THE ISSUES WERE DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE COUNCIL WITH BARONESS DUNN TAKING THE LEAD. I AGREED TO RENEW MY REPRESENTATIONS TO YOU. THE CHIEF SECRETARY WILL INFORM LEGCO TOMORROW THAT I HAVE APPROACHED YOU.

3. THE QUESTION OF THE GRANT OF BRITISH CITIZENSHIP TO THE ETHNIC MINORITIES WILL NOT GO AWAY. EXCO AND LEGCO ARE DETERMINED TO MAINTAIN THE PRESSURE. A PROLONGATION OF THIS DEBATE WILL BE DAMAGING AND I BELIEVE THAT HMG SHOULD NOW RECONSIDER ITS POSITION. THE BASIC ARGUMENTS FOR DOING SO ARE AS FOLLOWS :

(A) THE ETHNIC MINORITIES ARE A SMALL AND SELF-CONTAINED GROUP:

(B) THEY ARE IN A UNIQUE POSITION BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT CHINESE NATIONALS AND DO NOT HAVE A RIGHT OF ABODE ELSEWHERE: AND

(C)

THERE IS OVERWHELMING SUPPORT FOR THEIR CAUSE IN HONG KONG AND CLEARLY CONSIDERABLY SYMPATHY FOR THEM IN THE UNITED KINGDOM PARLIAMENT.

4. THE QUESTION OF WHETHER THE ASSURANCE GIVEN TO THE ETHNIC MINORITIES LIKEWISE APPLIED TO ALL HONG KONG BRITISH PASSPORT HOLDERS WAS ALSO RAISED IN EXCO. IN RESPONSE, I FOLLOWED THE LINE TAKEN IN MY LETTER OF 14 JULY TO THE HOME SECRETARY. THE CHIEF SECRETARY WILL REPEAT THE SAME LINE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TOMORROW.

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CONFIDENTIAL

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2. JU' 1993