TNAG-0902-FCO40-1112-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-British-nationality-1979 — Page 9

Mr Cortazzi

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HONG KONG: CIVIC ASSOCIATION'S LETTER TO MR BLAKER

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1. To reply to a letter of 18 September to Mr Blaker from

Mr Hilton Cheong-Leen OBE, the Chairman of the Hong Kong Civic

Association. The letter was delivered to the Minister of State

during his recent visit to Hong Kong.

Recommendation

2. I recommend that Mr Blaker should reply to Mr Cheong-Leen

on the lines of the attached draft. M&VD and N&TD concur.

Background

3.

The Hong Kong Civic Association, which has branches through-

out Hong Kong, exists to help its members in their dealings with

government departments and other official bodies. It has no

particular political orientation, though it does sponsor

candidates for elections to the Urban Council. Mr Cheong-Leen,

as well as being the Association's Chairman and one of its

representatives on the Urban Council, was until recently also

a member of the Legislative Council.

4. The draft reply is self-explanatory on the first two topics

raised by Mr Cheong-Leen. On the third topic, the proposal for

extending the democratic powers of the Urban Council, I have

written to the Governor to ask his advice on the line Ministers

might take with the delegation of elected Urban Councillors

due here later this month. The Governor is likely to favour a

fairly negative line.

19 October 1979

патори

RJT McLaren

MARS. / Hong Kong and General Department

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