SINCE MY ARRIVAL YESTERDAY AFTERNOON, I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRIEF THE GOVERNOR ON MY TALKS AND HAVE HAD USEFUL AND I THINK IT IS FAIR TO SAY STIMULATING MEETINGS WITH EXCO AND THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. I HAVE LISTENED CAREFULLY TO WHAT I HAVE HEARD AND WILL OF COURSE BE CONVEYING THE VIEWS EXPRESSED TO ME TO MY COLLEAGUES BACK IN LONDON.
YOU WILL NOT BE SURPRISED TO HEAR THAT THE MAIN SUBJECT OF YESTERDAY'S DISCUSSIONS WAS NATIONALITY. I APPRECIATE THAT THIS IS A MATTER OF DEEPLY FELT CONCERN IN HONG KONG, AND, PERHAPS, BEFORE INVITING YOUR QUESTIONS, I CAN JUST SAY A FEW WORDS ON THAT SUBJECT. YOU WILL BE AWARE THAT I ATTENDED THE DEBATE IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS ON THE DRAFT (AND I EMPHASISE THE WORD DRAFT) ORDER-IN-COUNCIL. THE DEBATES IN PARLIAMENT WERE PRELIMINARY ONES BEFORE THE ORDER IS FORMALLY SUBMITTED, PROBABLY SOME TIME IN MARCH. I HAVE ALSO FOLLOWED AT A DISTANCE THE DEBATE IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS ON MONDAY WHICH TOOK PLACE WHILE I WAS IN CHINA. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I HAVE ALSO BEEN FOLLOWING THE DEBATE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND IN THE PRESS HERE. AS I TOLD THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS LAST NIGHT I SHOULD LIKE TO MAKE CLEAR THAT, AS REGARDS AN ENDORSEMENT IN THE BN(0) PASSPORT, PROVIDING A SATISFACTORY FORMULA CAN BE FOUND,
HMG WILL AGREE TO THE POSITION BEING MADE CLEAR IN THE PASSPORTS. AS REGARDS THE ETHNIC MINORITIES AND THE EX-SERVICEMEN, IT WAS RIGHT THAT MINISTERS SHOULD MAKE CLEAR TO PARLIAMENT THE DIFFICULTIES INVOLVED IN THE PROPOSALS WHICH HAVE BEEN MADE TO THEM. BUT, AS THEY ALSO MADE CLEAR, THEIR MINDS ARE NOT CLOSED ON THESE ISSUES AND, HAVING ENSURED THAT THERE SHOULD BE NO MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE DIFFICULTIES, THEY ARE READY TO EXAMINE THESE MATTERS FURTHER. THEY HAVE AGREED WITH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT THAT A TEAM OF OFFICIALS SHOULD VISIT LONDON TO PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE MINORITIES AND THE STATUS OF THE EX-SERVICEMEN CONCERNED. IN CONCLUSION, I SHOULD LIKE TO EMPHASISE THAT THE PURPOSE OF THIS VISIT IS PRIMARILY TO ESTABLISH MORE OF THE FACTS. THE DIFFICULTIES ARE REAL ONES I DO NOT WISH TO RAISE HOPES TOO HIGH.
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TIME: 0935 HOURS / JAN 24, 1986 / MAN
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