CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO DESKBY 060030Z HONG KONG
TELNO 746
OF 05173OZ APRIL 90
HKD 360014 Ако
¦ RECEIVED
IN PEGISTRY
0 1 JUN 1990
DESS
3189
162537 MDHOAN 6596
74 A
pa.
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM MCLAREN, AUS
316)
PA
-
16616
YOUR TELNO 1181 UK NATIONALITY SCHEME : FIRST PUBLIC RESPONSE TO ANNOUNCEMENT
1. MOST OF THIS MORNING'S BRITISH NEWSPAPERS WENT TO PRESS TO0 EARLY TO CARRY MUCH IN THE WAY OF HONG KONG REACTIONS TO THE PUBLICATION OF THE BILL. THERE ARE ONE OR TWO NEGATIVE HEADLINES, EG QUOTE PASSPORT PACKAGE PROVOKES OUTRAGE UNQUOTE (TIMES), AND QUOTE COLONY SHOWS VERY LITTLE ENTHUSIASM FOR BILL UNQUOTE (TELEGRAPH) WHICH ARE NOT ON THE WHOLE JUSTIFIED BY THE CONTENTS OF THE REPORTS THEY COVER. HOWEVER THIS MORNING'S TODAY PROGRAMME ON BBC RADIO 4 CARRIED A SERIES OF NEGATIVE COMMENTS FROM CIVIL SERVICE AND OTHER GROUPS IN HONG KONG, ALLEGING THAT THE BILL'S PROPOSALS WERE DIVISIVE AND WOULD BE INEFFECTIVE IN STEMMING EMIGRATION.
2. I UNDERSTAND THAT THESE AND SIMILAR TV REPORTS
(PARTICULARLY
FROM BRIAN BARRON) DID NOT GO DOWN WELL AT NO 10. I HAVE DRAWN ATTENTION TO YOUR TUR WHICH SHOWS THAT THE INITIAL REACTION IN HONG KONG HAS BEEN FAR FROM UNIVERSALLY CRITICAL AND THAT NO LOCAL GROUPS HAVE COME OUT AGAINST THE BILL. I HAVE ALSO POINTED OUT THAT PUBLICATION ON A LOCAL HOLIDAY, AND OUR UNWILLINGNESS TO AGREE THAT BRIEFING SHOULD BE DONE IN ADVANCE MADE IT PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT TO SECURE A FAVOURABLE LOCAL RECEPTION. IT WOULD NONETHELESS BE VERY HELPFUL IF YOU (WITH CHRIS OSBORNE'S HELP) COULD DO WHAT YOU CAN TO ENSURE THAT BRITISH CORRESPONDENTS IN HONG KONG DO PICK UP AND REPORT POSITIVE COMMENTS.
MINISTERS ARE GOING TO NEED ALL THE HELP THEY CAN GET IN CONVINCING MPS ON THE GOVERNMENT BENCHES THAT THE GAME IS REALLY WORTH THE CANDLE.
HURD
YYYY
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