10
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1985
SECONDLY, MR CHEONG SAID HE HOPED THAT SUCCESSIVE GOVERNMENT OF BRITAIN WOULD CONTINUE TO COMMIT TO THE LETTER AND SPIRIT OF THE BN(0) ORDER AND WOULD UNDERTAKE TO MAKE ALL THE NECESSARY INTERNATIONAL NEGOTIATIONS FOR THE COMPLETE COMPATIBILITY OF THE DOCUMENT WITH THE BDTC PASSPORT FOR
INTERNATIONAL TRAVELLING NOW AND IN THE ENSUING 50 YEARS AFTER 1997 SO THAT IT WOULD NOT BE MADE A MOCKERY THUS EFFECTIVELY DEGENERATING IT INTO A USELESS AND MEANINGLESS DOCUMENT.
THIRDLY, HE SAID, THE QUESTION ON BN(0) PASSPORT WAS NOT WHETHER IT WAS ACCEPTABLE TO THE THIRD COUNTRIES BUT WHETHER IT WAS EXEMPTED BY THIRD COUNTRIES FROM VISA REQUIREMENTS.
+ I THEREFORE URGE THAT THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT CONSIDERS SERIOUSLY AND OBJECTIVELY THE SUGGESTIONS MADE BY THE HONOURABLE JOHN SWAINE THAT THE BN(0) DOCUMENT BE STAMPED WITH PERMISSION TO LAND IN BRITAIN SO THAT BRITAIN COULD BE SEEN TO TAKE THE LEAD IN UPHOLDING INTERNATIONAL CONFIDENCE IN THE FACT THAT THE BN(0) DOCUMENT IS INDEED A TOTALLY EFFECTIVE AND CONVENIENT TRAVEL DOCUMENT IN FACILITATING OUR BUSINESSMEN AND TOURISTS.
+AS ACCESSIBILITY TO INTERNATIONAL MARKET PLACES BY OUR BUSINESSMEN IS OF VITAL IMPORTANCE TO OUR FUTURE PROSPERITY, SUCH INITIATIVES MADE BY BRITAIN TO ENSURE THE EASE OF OUR ACCESS WOULD CERTAINLY DEMONSTRATE THAT BRITAIN IS BEING SERIOUS IN HER DECLARATION TO CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS HONG KONG'S STABILITY AND PROSPERITY, MR CHEONG SAID.
HE RECALLED THAT IN 1981 EFFORTS MADE BY THE THEN UMELCO MEMBERS TO SEEK CLARIFICATIONS ON THE RATIONALE BEHIND THE NEED TO SPLIT BRITISH NATIONALS INTO DIFFERENT CLASSES AND INTRODUCE THE NEW NOMENCLATURE FOR THOSE BRITISH
SUBJECTS RESIDING IN HONG KONG AND TO FIGHT FOR HONG KONG HAD BEEN THWARTED BY PEOPLE USING STALLING TACTICS.
+WE WERE ADVISED BY PEOPLE WHOM WE IMPLICITLY TRUST THAT THE HOUSE OF LORDS WILL PASS THE BILL WITH A WIDE MARGIN SO THAT ANY FURTHER MOVES MADE BY HONG KONG OR INDEED BY ANY OTHER PLACES LIKE GIBRALTAR AND FALKLAND ISLANDS WOULD NOT HAVE ANY CHANCE OF SUCCEEDING.
+WELL, THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT ONLY MANAGED TO SECURE THE MINISCULE MARGIN OF TWO VOTES AND TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY THE GIBRALTARIANS AND THE FALKLANDERS SUCCEEDED IN MAKING THE IR SEEMINGLY IMPOSSIBLE DREAMS CAME TRUE, HE SAID.
MR CHEONG SAID IT WAS POINTLESS TO DWELL ON THE PAST AND MOOT ON WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN.
+WE SHOULD NOT HARBOUR ANY GRUDGES FOR WE DO UNDERSTAND NOW THE REASONS WHY THE BRITISH SUBJECTS IN HONG KONG WERE SINGLED OUT FOR DIFFERENT TREATMENT.
/+ALTHOUGH WE