WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 1986
SHE NOTED THAT UNANIMITY AMONG MEMBERS IN HISTORIC TIMES OF AN ENTIRELY APPOINTED COUNCIL HAD BEEN THE RULE RATHER THAN THE EXCEPTION.
RARE.
+UNAN IMITY AMONG MEMBERS OF AN ENTIRELY ELECTED BODY IS
+ IN OUR COUNCIL AM GLAD TO SAY THAT UNANIMITY IS NEITHER SO RARE AS TO BE ASTONISHING NOR SO COMMON AS TO BE UNREMARKABLE,
+ON REALLY IMPORTANT ISSUES THAT AFFECT FUNDAMENTALLY THE LIVES OF HONG KONG PEOPLE WE ARE ABLE TO REACH AGREEMENT AMONG A VERY DIVERSE GATHER ING OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PEOPLE,+ SKE SAID.
RE ITERATING THAT ON THE MATTER OF NATIONALITY THE UNOFFICIALS WERE UNANIMOUS, MISS DUNN SAID THAT THE IR VIEWS HAD RECEIVED COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORT IN THE COMMUNITY SINCE THEY WERE PUBLISHED.
+ IT WOULD BE IRRESPONSIBLE FOR THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO IGNORE THEM,+ SHE STRESSED,
+THE SECOND POINT I WISH TO MAKE IS THAT THE ACTION WE ASK SHOULD BE TAKEN IS ACTION THAT CAN BE TAKEN BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT ALONE AND IF IT IS NOT TAKEN RESPONSIBILITY WILL REST SOLELY WITH THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT, SHE SAID.
SHE POINTED OUT THAT THIS WAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE JOINT DECLARATION AND NO PROLONGED NEGOTIATIONS WITH FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS WERE REQUIRED.
*THE DECISIONS AND ADMINISTRATIVE STEPS THAT WE WANT TAKEN ARE FOR THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO TAKE.
+THEY AFFECT THE RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES ENJOYED BY BRITISH NATIONALS,+ SHE STATED.
MISS DUNN SAID THAT THEY WERE ASKING THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO ALLOW BRITISH NATIONALS HOLDING BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS) PASSPORTS TO VISIT BRITAIN FREELY AND TO MAKE THIS RIGHT CLEAR IN THE PASSPORTS.
THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WAS ALSO BEING ASKED TO MAKE FULL BRITISH CITIZENS OF THOSE BRITISH NATIONALS WHO WERE OF NON-CHINESE DESCENT AS WELL AS THOSE FEW REMAINING BRITISH NATIONALS IN HONG KONG WHO FOUGHT FOR THE DEFENCE OF BRITISH TERRITORY.
+WE CONSIDER THAT THESE MODEST REQUESTS ARE THE VERY LEAST THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG CAN EXPECT TO SEE SATISFIED AFTER NEARLY A CENTURY AND A HALF OF BRITISH RULE, SHE SAID.
+THEY ARE TOTALLY WITHIN THE GIFT OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT, + SHE ADDED.
/MISS DUNN