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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, 1986
"WARM WELCOME TO UK REPLY ON NATIONALITY ORDERS
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PUBLIC REACTION IN THE PAST FEW DAYS IS INDICATIVE OF THE WARM WELCOME GIVEN BY THE COMMUNITY TO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S REPLY TO TWO OF THE THREE REQUESTS PUT TO IT CONCERNING THE DRAFT (BRITISH NATIONALITY) ORDER, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DAVID AKERS- JONES, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
THE TWO REQUESTS RELATED TO THE ENDORSEMENT TO BE PLACED IN THE NEW BN(0) PASSPORT AND TO FORMER SERVICEMEN WHO SERVED IN THE DEFENCE OF HONG KONG.
IN A STATEMENT ON THE DRAFT ORDER, SIR DAVID SAID THERE HAD BEEN DISAPPOINTMENT THAT THE THIRD REQUEST BY COUNCIL MEMBERS, CONCERNING BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORY CITIZENS NOT ETHNICALLY CHINESE, HAD NOT BEEN MET.
HE NOTED THAT THE STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS ON APRIL 25 ECHOED THIS DISAPPOINTMENT, AND THAT THESE FEELINGS HAD BEEN CONVEYED TO THE UK GOVERNMENT.
SIR DAVID SAID IT WAS GRATIFYING THAT AFTER LONG AND SERIOUS CONSIDERATION OF COUNCIL MEMBERS' REPRESENTATIONS WHICH REFLECTED THE STRONG FEELINGS OF THE COMMUNITY, THE UK GOVERNMENT HAD AGREED TO TWO OF THEIR REQUESTS AND HAD GIVEN AN ASSURANCE IN RESPECT OF THE NON-CHINESE BDTC's.
+1 WISH TO PLACE ON RECORD THE THANKS WE OWE AS A COMMUNITY TO MISS (LYDIA) DUNN AND HER COLLEAGUES FOR THEIR UNSTINTING EFFORTS ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, HE SAID.
SIR DAVID SAID THE DRAFT ORDER IN COUNCIL WAS LAID BEFORE PARLIAMENT ON APRIL 28 AND WOULD SOON BE DEBATED BY BOTH HOUSES.
NOTING THAT THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS ORDER COULD NOT BE OVER- EMPHASISED, HE SAID IT WAS MADE UNDER THE POWERS CONFERRED BY THE HONG KONG ACT AND IT WOULD GIVE EFFECT TO THE NATIONALITY PROVISIONS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM MEMORANDUM ASSOCIATED WITH THE JOINT DECLARATION.
HE SAID: THE ORDER WILL PROVIDE FOR A NEW FORM OF BRITISH NATIONALITY, THAT OF BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS), TO BE ACQUIRED BY HONG KONG BDTC'S AS AN ENTITLEMENT IF THEY SO WISH.
/+IT WILL