RESTRICTED
/KB301
RECE
CRY
27
176607
MDLIAN 3695
RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO
1239
OF 110512Z APRIL 90
DESK
INDEX
11 APR 1990
STRY
..on Taken
INFO ROUTINE HKGO LONDON PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
for 114.
INFO ROUTINE HKGO WASHINGTON, HKGO NEW YORK, HKGO SAN FRANCISCO INFO ROUTINE HKGO GENEVA, UKMIS GENEVA
HONG KONG AGREEMENT: PRESS COVERAGE:
SUMMARY
WEEKLY ROUNDUP.
1. THE MEDIA ACCORDED PROMINENT AND EXTENSIVE COVERAGE TO NEWS RELATING TO THE NATIONALITY PACKAGE DURING THE PERIOD UNDER REVIEW. THE PROMULGATION OF THE BASIC LAW BY THE NPC ALSO RECEIVED MEDIA COVERAGE.
NATIONALITY PACKAGE
2.
THE INTRODUCTION OF THE BRITISH NATIONALITY (HK) BILL INTO PARLIAMENT BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT AND A PRESS CONFERENCE IN HONG KONG BY THE DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION, DONALD TSANG, TO EXPLAIN DETAILS OF THE BILL WERE WELL RECEIVED. THE MEDIA CARRIED A STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE HKG ON THE NATIONALITY BILL, WHICH SAID THAT THE BILL, WOULD GO SOME WAY TO ALLEVIATING HK'S EMIGRATION PROBLEM BY GIVING KEY PEOPLE CONFIDENCE TO STAY ON.
3.
OMELCO ISSUED A STATEMENT URGING BRITAIN TO PASS THE NATIONALITY (HK) BILL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, THE MEDIA (7.4) REPORTED. THE STATEMENT ALSO CALLED ON THOSE PEOPLE WHO WERE AGAINST THE BILL TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE BILL WAS TO ENCOURAGE HK PEOPLE TO STAY ON. MOST CIVIL SERVICE UNIONS WERE NOT HAPPY WITH THE PACKAGE SAYING THAT IT WAS UNFAIR TO JUNIOR CIVIL SERVANTS. A NUMBER OF COMMUNITY AND POLITICAL GROUPS CRITICISED THE BILL AS ELITIST. THEY SAID THAT PEOPLE AT THE GRASSROOTS WOULD NOT BENEFIT FROM THE SCHEME. HOWEVER, REPRESENTATIVES OF SENIOR CIVIL SERVANTS AND THE HONOUR HK CAMPAIGN ACCEPTED THE PACKAGE.
4.
LU PING, SAID THAT THERE WAS NO QUESTION THAT HK PEOPLE MIGHT BE RESTRICTED IN THEIR FREEDOM TO ENTER AND LEAVE THE TERRITORY, THE MEDIA (4.4) REPORTED IN WIDE COVERAGE. HE SAID THAT PEOPLE OF THE SAR WOULD HAVE THE FREEDOM TO ENTER AND LEAVE THE TERRITORY.
1
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