WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1985
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SIR PHILIP STRESSES UK PLEDGE ON BN(0) PASSPORTS
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THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAD UNDERTAKEN PUBLICLY AND REPEATEDLY THAT IT WOULD MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO EXPLAIN THE ARRANGEMENTS REGARDING THE ISSUE AND USE OF BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS) PASSPORTS TO THIRD COUNTRIES, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR PHILIP HADDON-CAVE, SAID TODAY.
ROUNDING UP THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON THE PROPOSED TITLE OF BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS), SIR PHILIP SAID HE HAD SENSED A GENERAL ACCEPTANCE BY MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF THE BN(0) TITLE, BUT NOTED THAT THIS SUPPORT AND ACCEPTANCE WAS NOT WHOLLY UNQUAL IF IED.
HE THEN REPLIED TO VARIOUS POINTS OF CONCERN EXPRESSED BY UNOFFICIALS IN THE DEBATE AND STRESSED THAT THE NATIONALITY PROVISIONS INCLUDED IN THE HONG KONG BILL WERE IN THE FORM OF ENABLING PROVISIONS.
HE ASSURED MEMBERS THAT THE DRAFT ORDER-IN-COUNCIL WOULD BE PUBLICISED IN HONG KONG ONCE IT WAS INTRODUCED INTO PARLIAMENT, SO THAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG COULD SEE THE DETAILED ARRANGEMENT THAT WOULD BE MADE AND GIVE THEIR VIEWS ON THEM IF THEY WISHED.
THE FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF SIR PHILIP'S SPEECH:
+I HAVE LISTENED WITH GREAT CARE AND INTEREST TO THIS DEBATE. I NOTE MR ANDREW SO'S EXPRESSION OF SUPPORT FOR THE BROAD PRINCIPLES OF THE NATIONALITY PROVISIONS IN THE HONG KONG BILL WHICH IS UNDER CONSIDERATION IN THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT. UNDERSTAND THAT THIS REFLECTS THE GENERAL SUPPORT FROM UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS.
E
+1 ALSO SENSE A GENERAL ACCEPTANCE BY MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL OF THE TITLE BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS)' PROPOSED FOR THE NEW STATUS WHICH IS TO BE ACQUIRED BY BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZENS CONNECTED WITH HONG KONG AND THEN RETAINED BY THEM AFTER 1997, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE UNITED KINGDOM MEMORANDUM ASSOCIATED WITH THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION.
+BUT I NOTE THAT THIS SUPPORT AND ACCEPTANCE IS NOT WHOLLY UNQUAL IF IED. A CENTRAL THEME WHICH HAS EMERGED FROM THIS DEBATE IS THAT EVERYTHING POSSIBLE SHOULD BE DONE TO ENSURE THAT THE FUTURE BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS) PASSPORTS ARE ACCEPTED BY THE IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES OF THIRD COUNTRIES, TO AN EXTENT WHICH WOULD PROVIDE THE IR HOLDERS WITH AT LEAST THE SAME DEGREE OF FREEDOM OF ENTRY AS THEY ENJOY AT PRESENT. IN THIS CONNECTION, MRS' SELINA CHOW HAS EMPHASISED THE NEED FOR IT TO BE MADE ABSOLUTELY CLEAR IN BN(0) PASSPORTS THAT THE IR HOLDERS HAVE THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN HONG KONG.
/+I FULLY