UNCLASSIFIED
044146
MDLIAN 6936
17. THE HK ECONOMIC JOURNAL (24.12) REPORTED THAT THE CONSTRUCTION OF MANY GOVERNMENT PROJECTS WOULD BE HELD UP BECAUSE OF THE PADS PROJECTS AND THAT THE REAL ESTATES DEVELOPERS'
ASSOCIATION WAS VERY CONCERNED.
NATIONALITY
18. DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION DONALD TSANG SAID THAT ANYONE WHO SECURED BRITISH PASSPORTS UNDER THE BRITISH NATIONALITY PACKAGE COULD RENOUNCE THEIR RIGHT AND RESUME IT AGAIN BY SIMPLY WRITING TO THE HOME OFFICE AND PAYING A CHARGE, SING TAO WAN PAO (18.12) AND MING PAO (19.12) REPORTED. A MEMBER OF THE SENIOR CIVIL SERVICE COUNCIL SAID THAT LU PING'S REMARKS THAT SENIOR OFFICALS COULD RENOUNCE THEIR BRITISH NATIONALITY IN ORDER TO BE PROMOTED TO THE LEVEL OF PRINCIPAL OFFICIALS IN THE FUTURE SAR GOVERNMENT WOULD HAVE SOME FAVOURABLE EFFECTS ON SENIOR CIVIL SERVANTS BUT THIS GUARANTEE WOULD NOT ALLAY FEARS AMONG CIVIL SERVANTS THAT THOSE WHO HAD BENEFITED FORM THE SCHEME WOULD BE DISCRIMINATED AGAINST BY CHINA. A HK LAWYER, LAM KWOK-HUNG, WAS QUOTED (24.12) AS SUGGESTING THAT TO ACHIEVE A SMOOTH TRANSITION, THE SAR GOVERNMENT SHOULD EMPLOY SENIOR HK GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AS ADVISERS FOR THE SAR GOVERNMENT FOR THREE YEARS, ADDING THAT THIS WOULD GIVE THESE OFFICIALS TIME TO CONSIDER WHETHER TO FORFEIT THEIR BRITISH NATIONALITY AND RESUME THEIR STATUS AS SAR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS.
AUSTRALIA
19. THE HK STANDARD (20.12) REPORTED THAT CANBERRA'S RESISTANCE
TO MAKING SPECIAL CONCESSIONS FOR HK IMMIGRANTS WAS HOLDING UP
THE INTRODUCTION OF AUSTRALIA'S PROPOSED RIGHT OF ABODE PACKAGE.
WILSON
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
67
.HK AGREEMENT NATIONALITY
LIMITED
HKD
HD/CONSULAR D
DISTRIBUTION
78
PS
PS/LORD CAITHNESS PS/MR LENNOX-BOYD PS/PUS
PAGE
UNCLASSIFIED
5
Page 75Page 76
HD/FED
NEWS D
HD/NTCD
PUSD
ADDITIONAL
11
HK AGREEMENT NATIONALITY
NNNN