TNAG-1361-FCO40-1807-Hong-Kong-Hansard-reports-and-minutes-of-the-meetings-of-the-1985 — Page 267

Sir,

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DRAFT SPEECH BY HON CHEUNG Yan-lung, MBE, SBStJ,

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

6.2.85

Adjournment Debate on the proposed title

of British National (Overseas)

JP

Mr Andrew SO has quoted William Shakespeare most appropriately. I may add that if William Shakespeare had immortalised the British National (Overseas) passport instead of a rose, he might have written,

"What's in a name? that which we call a BNO

By any other name would be the same."

It is not the name, BNO, which matters, but the content and effectiveness of the proposed passport, both of

which are still unclear.

We are told that the BNO will have no right to live in the UK. But this is nothing new. The same ban already applies to BDTCS, even while Hong Kong is still a British territory.

For even now

What Hong Kong people want to know is how valid the BNO passport will be as a travel document to third countries and in concrete terms how Britain will ensure its recognition. We certainly have good reason to be skeptical. BDTC passport holders are advised to apply for entry visas to the UK. How then can third countries possibly be expected to honour the BNOS, when the UK herself imposes conditional terms of entry on those she chooses to name British Dependent Territories Citizens who happen to live in the British territory of Hong Kong?

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