RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 2064
OF 040952Z JULY 90
INFO ROUTINE PEKING
RESTRICTED
HKC30!
$1$
INC.
-5 JUL 1990
TOP COPY QPIST?
AY
EGISTRY
Con Taken
(38
116621
MDLIAN 3583
CC BOR.
BL follow up.
p Br4/7
INFO ROUTINE UKREP JLG HONG KONG, HKGO WASHINGTON, HKGO NEW YORK INFO ROUTINE HKGO GENEVA, UKMIS GENEVA
INFO SAVING HKGO SAN FRANCISCO
HONG KONG AGREEMENT: PRESS COVERAGE: WEEKLY ROUNDUP
SUMMARY
1. THE MEDIA GAVE GOOD COVERAGE TO NEWS RELATING TO THE FUTURE OF
THE TERRITORY DURING THE PERIOD UNDER REVIEW.
NATIONALITY
2. THE MEDIA (30.6) ACCORDED PROMINENT COVERAGE TO THE PASSAGE OF
THE NATIONALITY BILL AT ITS SECOND READING IN THE LORDS. THE
GOVERNOR SAID IN LONDON THAT ALTHOUGH IT WAS EXPECTED THAT PARLIAMENT WOULD PASS THE BILL, THE NUMBER OF HK PEOPLE EMIGRATING WOULD NOT FALL IN THE NEXT TWO TO THREE YEARS. HE EXPECTED THAT ABOUT 55,000 PEOPLE WOULD CONTINUE TO LEAVE HK ANNUALLY IF THERE WERE PLACES AVAILABLE.
3. THE DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION, SAID ON HIS RETURN FROM BRITAIN THAT ALTHOUGH THE PACKAGE COULD NOT LEAD TO FEWER PEOPLE LEAVING HK THIS YEAR, IT MIGHT PERSUADE MORE PROFESSIONALS TO STAY. THE HK ECONOMIC JOURNAL (1.7) REPORTED THAT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE APPLYING
FOR CERTIFICATES OF NO CRIMINAL RECORD REMAINED AT A HIGH LEVEL IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF THE YEAR, WITH A TOTAL OF 17,000 APPLICATIONS HAVING BEEN RECEIVED.
CIVIL SERVICE
4. SENIOR LEGCO MEMBER ALLEN LEE SAID THAT IT WAS WORTH TAKING NOTE
OF THE PRESENT ATTITUDE OF LOCAL CIVIL SERVANTS AT VARIOUS LEVELS TOWARDS THE QUESTION OF 1997. HE SAID THAT CIVIL SERVANTS WERE WORRIED BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT SEE THEIR FUTURE AFTER 1997. CHINESE
OFFICIALS HAD FAILED TO PROVIDE FOR THE NECESSARY BRIDGE
TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEM AND AS A RESULT, THERE WAS GREAT POTENTIAL FOR A CRISIS. HE SAID THAT IN ORDER TO RELIEVE THEIR WORRIES, BOTH BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS SHOULD ARRIVE AT A GREATER
UNDERSTANDING ON THIS ISSUE.
PAGE
RESTRICTED
1