XN000022-1986-01-08 — Page 2

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 1986

UK TO GET HK'S 'STRONG FEELINGS ON NATIONALITY

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THE STRONG FEELINGS+ OF UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS AND THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG ON ISSUES CONCERNING THE DRAFT HONG KONG (BRITISH NATIONALTIY) ORDER 1986 WOULD BE CONVEYED TO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT.

THIS ASSURANCE WAS GIVEN IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY BY

THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DAVID AKERS-JONES.

EXPRESSING OFFICIAL MEMBERS' SUPPORT OF THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBER'S MOTION ON THE WHITE PAPER ON THE DRAFT HONG KONG (BRITISH NATIONALITY) ORDER 1986, + SIR DAVID SAID

+THE ADMINISTRATION FULLY UNDERSTANDS THE THRUST OF THE ARGUMENTS ADVANCED IN SUPPORT OF THESE ISSUES AND THE DEPTH OF FEELING SURROUNDING THEM.+

SIR DAVID SAID THAT HE WAS SURE THAT MEMBERS WOULD RECOGNISE THAT THE ISSUES THEMSELVES RAISED A NUMBER OF DIFFICULT QUESTIONS OF PRINCIPLE FOR THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT, AND THAT THESE WOULD REQUIRE FURTHER DETAILED CONSIDERATION.

IN HER LETTER TO BRITISH MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT, WRITTEN ON BEHALF OF ALL THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS, AND IN HER SPEECH ON THE MOTION, THE HON LYDIA DUNN HAD CONVEYED THE STRONG AND UNANIMOUS FEELING OF THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL AND THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG ON THREE ISSUES CONCERNING THE DRAFT HONG KONG (BRITISH NATIONALITY) ORDER 1986, + SIR DAVID SAID.

GOVT DUTY BOUND TO CONVEY NATIONALITY ISSUE CONCERNS

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THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAS A DUTY TO CONVEY TO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT THE STRENGTH OF FEELING BOTH IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND AMONG THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG ON THE WHITE PAPER ON THE DRAFT HONG KONG (BRITISH NATIONALITY) ORDER 1986.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE HON LYDIA DUNN WHEN INTRODUCING MOTION IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

SHE SAID THAT THE MOTION REFLECTED ANXIETIES EXPRESSED IN

THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON THE DRAFT ORDER.

THE SUBSTANCE OF THESE VIEWS WAS WELL KNOWN BOTH IN HONG KONG AND IN WESTMINSTER AS A LETTER HAD BEEN SENT TO ALL MEMBERS OF BOTH HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT, INCLUDING ALL MEMBERS OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT, EXPRESSING THE UNOFFICIALS DETAILED VIEWS, SHE ADDED.

ELABORATING, SHE SAID THAT THE VIEWS OF THE UNOFFICIALS ON THIS MATTER WERE UNANIMOUS.

/SHE NOTED