XN000022-1985-12-04 — Page 18

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1985

THEREFORE, HE SAID, HE SUPPORTED THE HON JOHN WAINE'S CALL FOR A CLEAR STÁTEMENT IN THE NEW PASSPORT THAT THE HOLDER WAS ENTITLED TO ENTER THE UNITED KINGDOM WITHOUT HAVING TO APPLY FOR A CERTIFICATE OF ENTRY BEFOREHAND.

MOREOVER, HE SAID HE FELT, IT SHOULD BE MADE CLEAR THAT THE HOLDERS OF THE PASSPORT HAVE THE RIGHT OF PERMANENT ABODE IN HONG KONG.

+THIS IS THE MINIMUM MORAL OBLIGATION WHICH BRITAIN HAS TO TAKE UP AND THE RIGHTS TO BE ENJOYED BY THE HOLDERS OF THE NEW PASSPORTS, + HE STRESSED.

MR HUI NEXT EXPRESSED HIS CONCERN ABOUT THE FUTURE PLIGHT OF SOME 960 000 CERTIFICATE-OF-IDENTITY (CI) HOLDERS IN HONG KONG.

HE ESTIMATED THAT THERE WERE A FURTHER ONE MILLION MORE PEOPLE WHO WERE ELIGIBLE TO OBTAIN CI'S BUT, FOR WHATEVER REASONS, HAD NOT YET APPLIED FOR THEM.

+THIS SILENT MAJORITY, WHO ARE NOT BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZENS, WOULD BE UNABLE TO OBTAIN THE NEW PASSPORTS ON OR AFTER JULY 1, 1987 UNLESS THEY ARE WILLING TO APPLY FOR NATURALISATION AS BDTC'S ON OR BEFORE JULY 1, 1997 UNDER CLAUSE 18 OF THE BRITISH 1981 NATIONALITY ACT, HE SAID.

HOWEVER, HE SAID, IT WAS DOUBTFUL WHETHER THE CI HOLDERS WOULD DO SO.

MR HUI POINTED OUT THAT UNDER THE JOINT DECLARATION, THOSE PEOPLE WHO WERE BORN OR WHO HAD ORDINARILY RESIDED IN HONG KONG FOR A CONTINUOUS PERIOD OF SEVEN YEARS OR MORE WOULD BECOME CITIZENS OF THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION (SAR) AND WOULD BE QUALIFIED TO OBTAIN PASSPORTS OR TRAVEL DOCUMENTS ISSUED BY THE SAR.

+BUT FOR PEOPLE CURRENTLY HOLDING CERTIFICATES OF IDENTITY OR THOSE WHO WILL HOLD THEM IN THE FUTURE, IF THEY ARE UNWILLING AFTER 1997 TO BECOME CITIZENS OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, (FOR EXAMPLE HONG KONG CHINESE FOR POLITICAL REASONS) IT IS VERY POSSIBLE THAT PROBLEMS OF NATIONALITY WOULD ARISE ON OR AFTER JULY 1, 1997.

+ IN THIS REGARD, I URGE THE GOVERNMENT TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE ABOVE-MENTIONED SITUATION AND NEGOTIATE WITH THE RELEVANT AUTHORITY AT AN EARLY DATE THE STATUS, RIGHTS, AND ALTERATION? TO ISSUING PROCEDURES REGARDING CERTIFICATE-OF-IDENTITY HOLDERS DURING THE TRANSITIONAL PERIOD.

+THE PURPOSE IS TO OBTAIN A SATISFACTORY REPLY SO THAT CERTIFICATE-OF-IDENTITY HOLDERS NEED NOT HAVE ANY ANXIETY, + MR HUI SAID.

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