XN000022-1986-01-29 — Page 3

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29,

1986

GOVT URGED TO LIAISE WITH UMELCO ON NATIONALITY

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THE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN URGED TO LIAISE CLOSELY WITH THE UMELCO AD HOC GROUP ON THE NATIONALITY ISSUE ON THE PROGRESS OF THE TALKS THE OFFICIAL TEAM IS GOING TO HAVE IN LONDON.

IT HAS ALSO BEEN ASKED BY THE HON LYDIA DUNN TO REPORT BACK TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON THE OUTCOME OF THE TEAM'S VISIT AS WELL AS THE FORM OF WORDING IN THE PASSPORT ENDORSEMENT WHEN THAT IS DECIDED.

MISS DUNN WAS MAKING A STATEMENT IN THE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) ON THE DRAFT HONG KONG (BRITISH NATIONALITY) ORDER 1986.

POINTING OUT THAT UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS WERE STILL AWAITING THE OUTCOME TO THEIR THREE PROPOSALS, MISS DUNN SAID THEY HAD NOTED THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS, MR TIMOTHY RENTON'S ASSURANCE ON JANUARY 24 THAT HMG WOULD AGREE TO THEIR REQUEST FOR AN ENDORSEMENT IN THE NEW BN(0) PASSPORT WHICH WOULD MAKE CLEAR THAT HOLDERS OF THESE PASSPORTS WOULD NOT REQUIRE ENTRY VISAS TO THE UNITED KINGDOM FOR BONA FIDE VISITS.

MISS DUNN SAID UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS WELCOMED THE NEWS THAT A TEAM OF GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS WOULD VISIT LONDON TO PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE NON-ETHNIC MINORITIES AND THE STATUS OF EX-SERVICEMEN.

+THESE ARE POSITIVE INITIATIVES IN RESPONSE TO THE SERIOUS CONCERN IN HONG KONG ABOUT THESE IMPORTANT MATTERS AND WE WELCOME THEM, SHE SAID.

SHE SAID MEMBERS WERE SURE THAT A SATISFACTORY FORMULA COULD BE WORKED OUT FOR THE ENDORSEMENT IN THE PASSPORT.

+AS I SAID BEFORE, 'WHERE THERE IS A WILL, THERE IS A WAY.' I SHOULD LIKE TO MAKE CLEAR YET AGAIN THAT WE DO NOT SEEK TO BE EXEMPTED FROM NORMAL IMMIGRATION FORMALITIES,+ SHE SAID.

+ON THAT POINT, THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OUR POSITION AND THAT OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT, SHE ADDED.

ON THE PLIGHT OF THE NON-ETHNIC MINORITIES AND EX-SERVICEMEN, MISS DUNN SAID MEMBERS WERE ENCOURAGED BY MR RENTON'S ASSURANCE THAT +MINDS ARE NOT CLOSED IN WESTMINSTER ON THIS ISSUE.

SHE HOPED THAT WAYS AND MEANS OF MEETING FULLY THEIR CONCERN WOULD BE EXPLORED IN THE LIGHT OF THE INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE HONG KONG TEAM OF GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS.

MISS DUNN SAID THAT SINCE THE UNOFFICIALS' MOTION ON JANUARY 8, MANY DISTRICT BOARDS, ORGANISATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS HAD VOICED THEIR SUPPORT.

/+THE COMMUNITY