TNAG-1377-FCO40-1825-Future-of-Hong-Kong-legislation-Hong-Kong-Bill-1985 — Page 98

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21 January or should there be serious

reservations by the people of Hong Kong on

the nomenclature, it is important that the

Committee stage now scheduled for 28 January

1985 be postponed until an acceptable

nomenclature is found. The nomenclature

must not be included in the Bill unless

Hong Kong's reaction is favourable.

3. Minority Issue

of deep concern to the non-ethnic Chinese

Hong Kong BDTCs is the sad reality that their children

born after 30 June 1997 will become stateless. The

enabling provision in the Hong Kong Bill for the

avoidance of statelessness is reassuring and HMG should

in the coming debate spell out in no uncertain terms

the status to be conferred.

4. The New Passport

It has been widely reported in the press that

HMG may issue the new passports to the HK BDTCS before

1 July 1997 and may be as early as in late 1980s. While

such a move has some merits, it also has pitfalls.

feel it is essential that all possible implications should

be carefully considered and UMELCO be given ample

opportunities to comment on the

We

changes in the new

passport as well as on the date and arrangement for its

introduction.

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