GRS 550
UNCLASSIFIED
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 310-
OF 300255Z JANUARY 86
HACK 040/4
RACOWEN IJ PEČISTRY
30 JAN 1936
M
USTRY
TOP COPY
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
MIPT: NATIONALITY ORDER IN COUNCIL
TEXT OF MISS DUNN'S STATEMENT IS AS FOLLOWS :
STATEMENT IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON THE
DRAFT HONG KONG (BRITISH NATIONALITY) ORDER 1986.
WITH YOUR PERMISSION, SIR, I SHOULD LIKE TO MAKE A STATEMENT AS
A MATTER OF PRIME CONCERN TO ME AND TO MY UNOFFICIAL COLLEAGUES. WE
ARE STILL AWAITING THE OUTCOME TO THE CALLS MADE IN THIS COUNCIL
FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROPOSALS SET OUT IN MY LETTER DATED 3RD JANUARY, 1986 WHICH WAS TABLED IN THIS COUNCIL A FORTNIGHT AGO. HOWEVER, MY COLLEGAUES AND HAVE NOTED THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS, MR. TIMOPHY RENTON'S ASSURANCE
ON 24TH JANUARY THAT HMG WILL AGREE TO OUR REQUEST FOR AN ENDORSEMENT
IN THE NEW BNO PASSPORT WHICH WOULD MAKE CLEAR THAT HOLDERS OF THESE
PASSPORTS WILL NOT REQUIRE ENTRY VISAS TO THE UNITED KINGDOM FOR
BONA FIDE VISITS. WE ALSO WELCOME THE NEWS THAT A TEAM OF HONG KONG
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS WILL VISIT LONDON TO PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION
ON THE NON-ETHNIC MINORITIES AND THE STATUS OF EX-SERVICEMEN. THESE
ARE POSITIVE INITIATIVES IN RESPONSE TO THE SERIOUS CONCERN IN HONG
KONG ABOUT THESE IMPORTANT MATTERS AND WE WELCOME THEM.
THE MINISTER OF STATE HAS SAID THAT THE ENDORSEMENT IN THE
PASSPORT IS SUBJECT TO A SATISFACTORY FORMULA BEING FOUND. WE ARE
SURE THAT THIS CAN BE WORKED OUT. AS I SAID BEFORE, WHERE THERE IS A (NEXT WORD UNDERLINED) WILL, THE IS A (NEXT WORD UNDERLINED) WAY.''
I SHOULD LIKE TO MAKE CLEAR YET AGAIN THAT WE DO NOT SEEK TO BE
EXEMPTED FROM NORMAL IMMIGRATION FORMALITIES ON THAT POINT, THERE
IS NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OUR POSITION AND THAT OF THE BRITISH
GOVERNMENT.
WE ARE ENCOURAGED BY THE MINISTER'S ASSURANCE THAT ''MINDS ARE NOT CLOSED'' IN WESTMINSTER ON THE PLIGHT OF THE NON-ETHNIC
MINORITIES AND EX-SERVICEMEN. WE HOPE THAT WAYS AND MEANS OF
MEETING FULLY THEIR CONCERNS WILL BE EXPLORED IN THE LIGHT OF THE
INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE HONG KONG TEAM OF GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS.
MEANWHILE, THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF BOTH THE EXECUTIVE AND
LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS HAVE FORMED AN AD HOC GROUP TO EXAMINE ANY
TECHNICAL ISSUES THERE MAY BE AND TO MONITOR DEVELOPMENTS CLOSELY.
I WE
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