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TELEGRAM NUMBER 307 OF 8 FEBRUARY
Никонор
INFO PEKING, HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, HONG KONG GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES WASHINGTON, NEW YORK, BRUSSELS AND GENEVA
HK DILL: PARLIAMENTARY AND LEGCO DEBATES: PRESS INTEREST.
SUMMARY:
1. THE TWO DEBATES WERE WELL COVERED IN FACTUAL MANNER BY THE MEDIA.
THERE HAS BEEN LITTLE PUBLIC INTEREST OTHER THAN SOME CONTINUING
CONCERN OVER THE INTERNATIONAL ACCEPTABILITY OF THE NEW PASSPORT.
THE LEFTWING PRESS HAS REMAINED QUIET.
NEWS COVERAGE:
2. PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE: THE DEBATE WAS MODERATELY COVERED.
ATTENTION FOCUSSED ON THE INCLUSION OF THE BNO TITLE IN THE BILL,
AND ON THE ENDORSEMENT CONCERNING RIGHT OF ABODE WHICH WOULD BE
INCLUDED IN THE NEW PASSPORT. THE GOVERNMENT'S CHANGE OF HEART OVER
AN ANNUAL REPORT ON HK WAS ALSO NOTED. THE PAPERS ALSO NOTED
MR LUCE'S REAFFIRMATION OF BRITAIN'S COMMITMENT TO THE JOINT
DECLARATION, AND HIS STATEMENT THAT BNOS WOULD CONTINUE TO ENJOY
THE SAME BENEFITS AS BDTCS WHEN THEY TRAVEL ABROAD. EXCO UNOFFICIAL
MARIA TAM WELCOMED THE RESULTS OF THE DEBATE, AND PARTICULARLY THE
ACCEPTANCE OF VARIOUS EXCO RECOMMENDATIONS.
3. ORIENTAL DAILY AND TA KUNG PAO TODAY BOTH REPORTED THAT THE
SECOND READING DEBATE IN THE LORDS WOULD BE ON 19 FEBRUARY AFTER
THE HK BILL WAS TABLED THERE ON 7 FEBRUARY.
4. LEGCO DEBATE: FOUR UNOFFICIALS SPOKE, SHARING THE VIEW THAT
ACCEPTABILITY WAS MORE IMPORTANT THAN NOMENCLATURE. THEY VARIOUSLY
CALLED FOR INDICATION OF THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN HONG KONG IN THE
NEW PASSPORTS: FOR THE JLG TO STUDY THE ISSUE: AND FOR A
SATISFACTORY RESOLUTION TO THE NATIONALITY PROBLEMS OF THE NON-
CHINESE MINORITY. THE CHIEF SECRETARY'S RESPONSES TO THEIR POINTS, PARTICULARLY CONCERNING THE RIGHT OF ABODE ISSUE, WERE NOTED.
COMMENTARIES:
5. MING PAO EVENING NEWS (INDEPENDENT) ON 6 FEBRUARY TOOK A STRONG LINE, DESCRIBING THE BNO PASSPORT AS SELF-DECEIVING'' AND ''CONTRADICTORY'', SINCE IT DID NOT GRANT RIGHT OF ABODE IN BRITAIN, WHILE BRITAIN EXPECTED RECOGNITION FROM THIRD COUNTRIES. THE PAPER CRITICISED HK GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND UMELCO MEMBERS, AND DISAGREED
WITH THE VIEW OF THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS THAT THERE WAS NO
REASON TO BELIEVE THAT OTHER COUNTRIES WOULD NOT ACCEPT THE NEW
PASSPORT. THE PAPER ARGUED THAT RECOGNITION NOW DID NOT MEAN
RECOGNITION FOREVER, AND WARNED THAT OTHER COUNTRIES MIGHT FOLLOW
BRITAIN'S EXAMPLE' IN REJECTING THE ENTRY OF BNO PASSPORT HOLDERS
ONCE THERE WERE CHANGES IN THE SITUATION.
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