HKK oko/4

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY - 5 DEC 1985

DESK O

GRS 1100

RESTRICTED

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 2733

OF 04115OZ DECEMBER 35

INDEX

RESTRICTED

REGISTRY

Action Taken

v

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, PEKING

MIPT:

529

WHITE PAPER ON THE DRAFT HONG KONG (BRITISH NATIONALITY)

ORDER 1986 : LEGCO ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON 4 DECEMBER.

SUMMARY.

1. TEN UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS, INCLUDING JOHN SWAINE WHO MOVED THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE, DR. HO KAM-FAH, ALLEN LEE, STEPHEN CHEONG, MRS SELINA CHOW, HILTON CHEONG-LEEN, THOMAS CLYDESDALE, HUI YIN-FAT, MARTIN LEE AND DESMOND LEE SPOKE IN THE DEBATE.

THE MAIN POINTS THEY MADE INCLUDED THE NEED TO MAKE THE NEW BN (0) PASSPORT AS EFFECTIVE A TRAVEL DOCUMENT AS THE EXISTING BDTC PASSPORT IN PROVIDING ACCESS TO THIRD COUNTRIES FREE OF VISA REQUIREMENT: THE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BM(0) PASSPORT WOULD HAVE AN ADEQUATE RIGHT OF ARODE ENDORSEMENT THAT WOULD SECURE FOR THE HOLDER ACCESS TO THIRD COUNTRIES WITHOUT THE NEED TO PRODUCE HIS IDENTITY CARD: THE NEED FOR HER MAJESTY'S TO DO

THE IR UTMOST TO TRY AND ENSURE THAT THE BN(0) PASSPORT IS WIDELY ACCEPTABLE INTERNATIONALLY AND POSSIBLY, TO THIS END, TO INCLUDE IN THE PASSPORT AN ENDORSEMENT GIVING THE HOLDER FREEDOM OF ENTRY

INTO THE UK: THE NEED TO GIVE SYMPATHETIC CONSIDERATION TO THE

REQUEST FROM NON-CHINESE BDTCS AND FROM EX-SERVICEMENT IN HONG KONG

FOR RIGHT OF ABODE IN THE UK: AND THE NEED TO ENSURE THE CONTINUED FREEDOM OF TRAVEL OF HOLDERS OF CERTIFICATES OF IDENTITY. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SPOKE ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT.

DETAIL.

A. NEED TO MAKE THE NEW ON(0) PASSPORT AS EFFECTIVE A TRAVEL DOCUMENT AS THE EXISTING BDTC PASSPORT.

2. EXCEPT ALLEN LEE, MARTIN LEE AND THOMAS CLYDESDALE WHO SPOKE MAINLY ON THE REQUEST FOR RIGHT OF ABODE IN THE UK FROM MON- CHINESE BDTCS, ALL MEMBERS VEHEMENTLY URGED HEP MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT TO MAKE THE NEW PASSPORT AS EFFECTIVE A TRAVEL DOCUMENT AS POSSIBLE. OTHERWISE THE NEW PASSPOPT WOULD BE, IN THE WORDS OF DESMOND LEE, THE KING'S NEW DRESS'. SEVERAL MEMBERS, INCLUDING DR. HO KAM-FAI, STEPHEN CHEONG, MRS SELINA CHOW, AND DESMOND LEE DREW ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT HOLDERS OF BDTC PASSPORTS COULD AT PRESENT VISIT OVEP 70 COUNTIRES VISA FREE AND URGED THAT EVERY EFFOPT SHOULD BE MADE TO ENSURE THAT THE SAME EAST OF TRAVEL WOULD

BE ENJOYED BY SN(0) PASSPORT HOLDERS.

RESTRICTED

لنا.

530

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