GRS 1000
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 19103CZ OCT 84
TO PRIORITY F C O
TELEGRAM NUMBER 3266 OF 19 OCTOBER
HKK 040/25
RECEIVE REGISTRY
2 2 OCT 1984
"DESE
INDEX
231
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, HONG KONG GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES WASHINGTON, NEW YORK, BRUSSELS
AND GENEVA.
MY TELEGRAM NO. 3189: FUTURE OF HONG KONG : REPORT ON PUBLIC
OPINION
DETAILS OF THE DRAFT AGREEMENT ARE STILL WIDELY DISCUSSED AND DEBATED, THOUGH THE INITIAL INTENSITY HAS BEGUN TO WEAR OFF. REACTIONS REMAIN GENERALLY FAVOURABLE, THOUGH VARIOUS AREAS OF CONCERN CONTINUE TO BE THE SUBJECT OF COMMENT. GENERALLY SPEAKING THERE ARE NO ADDITIONS TO THE MAIN LIST.
2. MAIN WORRIES ARE:
(A) NATIONALITY AND TRAVEL
THE EXCHANGE OF MEMORAND AND SECTION 14 OF THE ANNEX TO THE JOINT DECLARATION CONTINUE TO CAUSE CONSIDERABLE CONCERN AND CONFUSION. BDTC'S ARE UNCERTAIN WHAT KIND OF BRITISH PASSPORT THEY WILL RECEIVE IN 1997, AND WHETHER IT WILL BE ACCEPTED INTERNATIONALLY. NON-BDTC CHINESE WONDER WHAT, IF ANY, TRAVEL DOCUMENTS THEY WILL RECEIVE IN 1997. THOSE WHO ARE NEITHER CHINESE NOR PASSPORT-HOLDING EXPATRIATES ARE WORRIED THAT THEY OR THE IR
CHILDREN MAY BECOME STATELESS.
(B) BASIC LAW. WILL REPRESENTATIVE HONG KONG PEOPLE BE INVOLVED IN DRAFTING IT AND WHAT WILL IT CONTAIN?
(C) WILL CONSCRIPTION BE INTRODUCED AFTER 1997?
(D) THE PLA. HOW LARGE A CONTINGENT WILL BE STATIONED IN HONG KONG? TO WHOM WILL IT BE RESPONSIBLE AND WILL IT HAVE TO CONFORM TO SAR
LAW?
(E) HOW WILL THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE BE SELECTED? TO WHOM WILL BE BE ACCOUNTABLE?
(F) LAND SALES WILL THE ARRRANGEMENTS IN THE DRAFT AGREEMENT MEAN LESS GOVERNMENT REVENUE? IT SO, WILL THE GOVERNMENT RAISE TAXES TO
COMPENSATE?
3. TWO FURTHER DISTRICT BOARDS HAVE GENERALLY ENDORSED THE DRAFT AGREEMENT DURING THE PAST WEEK, MAKING A TOTAL OF ELEVEN IN ALL. THE REMAINING SEVEN WILL HOLD DEBATES DURING THE NEXT WEEK OR SO.
CONFIDENTIAL
REGISTRY
Action Taken
вигорс
14
(56