GRS 1100
RESTRICTED
RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG 23045OZ JAN 85
TO PRIORITY F C O
TELEGRAM NUMBER 186 OF 23 JANUARY
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, PEKING. ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES WASHINGTON, BRUSSELS AND GENEVA.
HONG KONG BILL/NATIONALITY TITLE : PRESS REACTIONS.
SUMMARY:
по
NEW YORK
KKK 04014
Rur
1. MUCH ATTENTION WAS GIVEN TO THE NEW NATIONALITY TITLE, (ALTHOUGH THERE WAS ALSO EXTENSIVE COVERAGE OF LOCAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENTS). THE LEFTWING PRESS CONCENTRATED SIMPLY ON FACTUAL REPORTS. ALTHOUGH SOME WORRIES HAVE BEEN EXPRESSED THERE HAS BEEN
NO (NO) OUTRIGHT REJECTION OF THE NEW TITLE.
NEWS COVERAGE:
2. NATIONALITY TITLE: PROMINENT AND EXTENSIVE COVERAGE WAS GIVEN
TO A GOVERNMENT PRESS BRIEFING. NINE INDEPENDENT PAPERS FOCUSSED IN HEADLINES ON THE VIEW THAT HK PEOPLE TRAVELLING ABROAD ON THE NEW PASSPORT WOULD NEED TO CARRY THEIR SAR IDENTITY CARDS WITH THEM. IT WAS NOTED THAT CHINA HAD BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE NEW TITLE, AND HAD NOT YET COMMENTED PUBLICLY. GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS WERE QUOTED AS SAYING THAT THE DESIGNATION OF THE NEW PASSPORT NEEDED
TO MEET CERTAIN PRINCIPLES: HAVING A NEW AND READILY IDENTIFIABLE TITLE AND FORM, (CONFERRING BRITISH NATIONALITY), AND BEING IN ACCORD WITH THE JOINT DECLARATION. THERE WAS ALSO A NEED TO
AVOID INDICATING ANY REMAINING CONSTITUTIONAL LINK BETWEEN
BRITAIN AND HK AFTER 1997. OFFICIALS ADDED THAT WHEN ALL BRITISH
LEGAL PROCEDURES WERE COMPLETED, BRITAIN WOULD TAKE STEPS TO ENSURE THAT THE NEW PASSPORT WAS ACCEPTABLE TO THIRD COUNTRIES.
LEADING LEFTWING PAPERS HEADLINED THEIR STORIES SAYING THAT BNO'S
WOULD ENJOY THE SAME STATUS AS HOLDERS OF BDTC PASSPORTS. IT WAS
REPORTED THAT UMELCO'S VIEWS WOULD BE SOUGHT ON THE DATE OF
ISSUING THE BNO PASSPORTS.
3. PARLIAMENT: THE GOVERNOR WAS QUOTED AS SAYING IN LONDON THAT
THE DEBATE HAD BEEN A GOOD ONE. HE SAID THAT THE NEW NATIONALITY
TITLE WAS ONLY A CHANGE OF NAME, WITH BASIC RIGHTS FOR THE
PASSPORT HOLDERS UNCHANGED. THREE PAPERS CARRIED NEWS OF THE
AMENDMENTS PUT FORWARD BY MESSRS HEALEY, ANDERSON AND POWELL AMONGST OTHERS, CALLING FOR A COMPREHENSIVE DEBATE ON THE
NATIONALITY ISSUE. SING PAO NOTED THAT THE AMENDMENT COULD AFFECT THE NEW PROPOSALS IF CARRIED: BUT INITIAL VIEWS WERE THAT
THE AMENDMENT WOULD NOT SUCCEED. RESTRICTED
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