GRS 550
RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 118
RESTRICTED
OF 13084OZ JANUARY 86
нии очак
RECEIVED · REGISTRY
15 JAN 1986
0904
TOP COPY
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
DFS?
OFFICER
REGISTRY
ss
INDES
PA
sufion Taken
SUMMARY OF MED NA
MY TELNO 80 NATIONALITY ORDER IN COUNCIL
COVERAGE.
SUMMARY
THERE WERE CONTINUED PRESS REPORTS OVER THE WEEKEND ON THE
MOTTON MOVED BY MISS DUNN AN LEGCO ON 8 JANUARY. THE UNOFFICIAL
MEMBERS OF EXCO'S DECISION TO SUPPORT THE MOTION, THE TWO VISITING
LABOUR MPS SUPPORT OF THE REQUESTS AND THE DEPARTURE OF TWO
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE LOCAL INDHAN COMMUNITY TO LOBBY MPS IN
LONDON WERE WIDELY REPORTED. THERE WERE ALSO A FEW EDITORIALS
IN SUPPORT OF THE MOTION IN ADDITION TO THOSE REPORTED IN MY
TUR.
DETAIL
2. THE ELECTROMIC MEDIA AND MAY PAPERS REPORTED EXCO'S DECISION
TO SUPPORT THE MOTION PASSED IN LEGCO WHICH WAS ANNOUNCED BY MISS
MARINA TAM AFTER A BI-WEEKLY IN-HOUSE MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE AND
LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS. IN HER ANNOUNCEMENT, SHE SAID UMELCO MEMBERS HAVE UNANIMOUSLY COME TO A DECISION THAT THE BRITISH
GOVERNMENT SHOULD TAKE HEED OF THE UNANIMOUS SUPPORT OF THE UMELCO
OF THAT MOTION AND DO ALL T CAN TO MEET OUR REQUESTS''.
3. THE CHINESE LANGUAGE PAPERS ALSO CONTAINED REMARKS MADE BY A
FEW OTHER LEGCO UNOFFICIALS. ACCORDING TO THE REPORTS, MR. MARTIN
LEE SAID A MOTION UNANIMOUSLY PASSED BY LEGCO WAS THE STRONGEST
MOVE TO CONVEY THEIR WISH TO HMG AND HE HOPED THAT THE PRIME
MINISTER COULD FULFIL THE UK'S PESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PEOPLE OF HK.
SPEAKING TO THE PRESS AFTER A MEETING, LEGCO UNOFFICIALS HUI YIN-FAT,
TAM YAU-CHUNG AND PANG CHUN-HO DECLARED THAT TO GRANT HK BRITISH
PASSPORT HOLDERS FREE ACCESS TO THE UK WAS ONLY A VERY MODEST
REQUEST WHICH HMG SHOULD MEET IN ORDER TO ENCOURAGE THIRD COUNTRIES
TO ACCEPT THE NEW BN(0) PASSPORT.
4. MANY PAPERS REPORTED AN INTERVIEW WITH MR. SITAL, VICE-PRESIDENT
OF THE HONG KONG COUNCIL OF INDIAN ASSOCIATIONS, PRIOR TO HIS
DEPARTURE WITH ANOTHER REPRESENTATIVE MR. NARAIN ON SATURDAY
EVENING. MR. SITAL REPEATED THEIR REQUEST THAT HMG SHOULD GRANTE
FULL BRITISH CITIZENSHIP TO THE ETHNIC MINORITIES WHICH HAD THE
UNANIMOUS SUPPORT OF UMELCO. HE SAID THAT THE TWO OF THEM WOULD
LOBBY A NUMBER OF MPS AND ATTEND THE DEBATE IN BOTH HOUSES DURING
THE IR STAY IN LONDON.
RESTRICTED
Page 210Page 211