CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 07140OZ FCO
OF 07130OZ MAY 93
ако забі
1 HKD
10 MAY 1993
TELNO 709
IN
78
037073
MDHIAN O0109
to
Mr KeMDHIAN
tee
... Таки
issue.
Tur cort Q DIST?
OUR TELNO 697: PHASED PROGRAMME FOR REGISTERING BDTC'S AS BN (0)'S AND FOR ISSUING THEM WITH PASSPORTS.
SUMMARY
1.
THE LEGCO SUB-COMMITTEE STILL OPPOSES THE PHASED PROGRAMME, BUT, WE FEEL, LESS STRONGLY. WE RESISTED PRESSURE TO CALL A HALT TO THE ORDER IN COUNCIL, BUT THE SUB-COMMITTEE IS CONSIDERING APPROACHING MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT. WE STRESSED THAT IT WOULD BE IRRESPONSIBLE OF US NOT TO PROVIDE A MEANS WHEREBY EVERYONE WHO WANTED ONE WAS GUARANTEED THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY FOR AND TO RECEIVE A BN (O).
DETAIL
2. MEMBERS REPEATED THEIR PREVIOUS CHARGE OF SECRECY. THEY WERE
DISCONTENT THAT
3.
Rad
(A) WE HAVE MISLEADING STATEMENTS IN THE PAST BY
MENTIONING ONLY A PHASED VOLUNTARY PROGRAMME, WITHOUT EMPHASISING CUT-OFF DATES:
(B)
AND
THEY COULD NOT HAVE SIGHT OF THE DRAFT ORDER, DESPITE REPEATED REQUESTS.
WE DENIED MAKING MISLEADING STATEMENTS AND POINTED OUT THAT WE ALWAYS INTENDED TO BRIEF MEMBERS ONCE THE DETAILS AND TIMING WERE SORTED OUT. WE EXPLAINED THAT SINCE THE DRAFT ORDER IS UK LEGISLATION, IT WAS INAPPROPRIATE TO RELEASE IT TO MEMBERS BEFORE IT WAS PRESENTED TO PARLIAMENT. HOWEVER, WE TABLED THE GIST OF THE ORDER.
4.
MEMBERS INSISTED THAT OUR PROGRAMME TOOK AWAY THE RIGHT OF BDTC'S TO CHOOSE WHEN TO APPLY. THEY MAINTAINED THAT SOME BDTC'S WOULD WANT TO APPLY ONLY AT THE LAST MINUTE, CLOSER TO 1997. WE REITERATED THE POINT THAT BDTC STATUS AND RIGHTS WOULD REMAIN UNTIL 1997 AND THAT, IN PRACTICE, IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR LARGE NUMBERS TO APPLY AND RECEIVE THEIR BN (0) PASSPORTS IN THE LAST
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