XN000022-1982-10-27 — Page 21

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1982

ON HONG KONG PASSPORTS, A SUBJECT WHICH HE SAID HAS BEEN MUCH MISUNDERSTOOD, BOTH IN HONG KONG AND IN THE U.K., MR SWAINE SAID THE BRITISH NATIONALITY ACT OF 1981 DOES NOT CHANGE THE NATIONAL STATUS OF HONG KONG PASSPORT HOLDERS IN THAT THEY OWE ALLEGIANCE TO THE QUEEN AND ARE ENTITLED AS A MATTER OF RECIPROCITY TO HER PROTECTION WHEN ABROAD.

+THIS IS WHERE THE PASSPORT COMES INTO ITS OWN. IT TELLS THE WORLD THAT THE TRAVELLER ENJOYS THE PROTECTION OF THE CROWN. HENCE IT IS RIGHT, LOGICALLY AND CLEARLY RIGHT, THAT THE PASSPORT SHOULD PROCLAIM THE NATIONAL STATUS OF THE HOLDER, NAMELY BRITISH.+

+THESE VIEWS HAVE BEEN URGED UPON THE U.K. GOVERNMENT AND WE HAVE HAD THE ASSURANCE OF THE PRIME MINISTER WHEN IN HONG KONG THAT SHE WOULD LOOK INTO THIS QUESTION.

+THE TIME IS PARTICULARLY OPPORTUNE FOR SUCH REVIEW, AND I THINK HONG KONG WOULD BE DEEPLY AND UNDERSTANDABLY DISAPPOINTED IF THE U.K. GOVERNMENT WERE NOT TO AGREE WITH US,+ HE ADDED.

NOTE TO EDITORS :

LEGCO DEBATE

***

THE HON T.S. LO AND THE HON ALEX WU ALSO SPOKE ON THE MOTION OF THANKS FOR THE GOVERNOR'S ADDRESS AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEETING THIS (WEDNESDAY) AFTERNOON.

COPIES OF THE FULL TEXT OF THEIR SPEECHES WILL BE

AVAILABLE FOR COLLECTION LATER TODAY FROM THE GIS PRESS BOXES ON THE FIFTH FLOOR OF BEACONSFIELD HOUSE.

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