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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1985
'UTMOST TO BE DONE ON HK TRAVEL DOCUMENTS'
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BOTH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WILL BE DOING THEIR UTMOST TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL TRAVEL DOCUMENTS ISSUED IN HONG KONG WILL BE AS ACCEPTABLE AS POSSIBLE TO THE COUNTRIES WHERE THEY ARE USED, THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE SAID TODAY.
+THE OBJECT OF THE EXERCISE IS TO FACILITATE TRAVEL BY THE
PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, HE SAID.
SIR EDWARD WAS SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER OPENING THE BRADBURY BUILDING AT THE HONG KONG SEA SCHOOL TODAY.
ASKED WHETHER THE BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS) PASSPORTS WOULD BE ISSUED FROM 1987, SIR EDWARD SAID NO ANNOUNCEMENTS HAD YET BEEN MADE.
+BUT THINK YOU WILL FIND THAT IN QUITE A SHORT TIME NOW WE WILL BE ABLE TO TELL YOU SOMETHING ABOUT THAT, HE ADDED.
ON PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON THE ORDER IN COUNCIL, THE GOVERNOR SAID IT HAS ALREADY BEEN SAID THAT THE ORDER IN COUNCIL WILL BE PUBLISHED AND THERE WILL BE AMPLE OPPORTUNITY FOR DEBATE IN HONG KONG BEFORE IT GOES FOR THE FIRST TIME TO THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT. +
+SO YOU CAN BE ASSURED THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF TIME FOR PEOPLE TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS ON IT AND THERE WILL BE A FULL EXPLANATION OF IT.+
SIR EDWARD POINTED OUT THAT IT WAS CLEARLY STATED IN THE AGREEMENT THAT THE PEOPLE IN HONG KONG WOULD HAVE IDENTITY CARDS WHICH STATED THE RIGHT OF ABODE.
+THAT'S ALL FIXED IN THE AGREEMENT, AND NOW WE ARE SORTING OUT THE OTHER ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE PASSPORTS, I THINK YOU WILL FIND THEY WILL ALL COME TOGETHER AS A PIECE IN DUE COURSE, HE SAID.
ASKED WHY IT HAD TAKEN SO LONG TO COME TO A DECISION ON THE LAW REFORM COMMISSION'S REPORT ON HOMOSEXUALITY, THE GOVERNOR SAID THAT IT WAS A SUBJECT ON WHICH HE THOUGHT THERE WERE MANY VIEWS IN HONG KONG.
+WITH A SUBJECT OF SUCH SENSITIVITY AS THIS, IT IS BETTER TO HAVE LONGER PERIOD OF CONSULTATION RATHER THAN RUSH IT.+
MADE.
HE DECLINED TO GIVE A DATE ON WHICH A DECISION WOULD BE
ASKED TO COMMENT ON REPORTS THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WAS TRYING TO SELL MORE THAN 50 HECTARES OF LAND A YEAR, THE GOVERNOR SAID THAT ALTHOUGH THE LIMIT STATED IN THE AGREEMENT WAS 50 HECTARES, THERE COULD BE DISCUSSIONS ON THE LAND PROGRAMME.
+AND THAT IS WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE LAND COMMISSION AT THE PRESENT TIME, HE SAID.
/+I THINK