TNAG-1381-FCO40-1829-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-citizenship-1985 — Page 71

RESTRICTED

8. ENGLISH LANGUAGE PRESS: SCMP, BOTH EDITORIALLY AND IN COLUMNISTS' WRITINGS, CRITICISED THE LACK OF CONSULTATION OVER THE NEW TITLE. THE PAPER ALSO ARGUED FOR THE INCLUSION OF AN ENDORSEMENT (INDICAT-

ING THE RIGHT TO LAND AND RESIDE IN HK) IN THE NEW PASSPORT. COLUMNIST HARVEY STOCKWIN SAID THAT THE NEW BNO STATUS SEEMED AT FIRST GLANCE TO BE LESS VALUABLE THAN THE THIRD CLASS BOC''. HE THEN LISTED SEVEN POTENTIAL DECEPTIONS CONCERNING THE NEW STATUS, FOCUSSING ON RIGHT OF ABODE IN HK, ACCEPTABILITY, AND POTENTIALSTATELESSNESS OF NON-CHINESE HK RESIDENTS AND THEIR DESCENDANTS. HE WROTE OF UNCERTAINTIES AND SELF-DECEPTION, AND STATED THAT THE BRITISH, CHINESE AND HK GOVERNMENTS SHOULD REALISE THAT A GREAT DEAL OF EXPLAINING AND MUCH PSYCHOLOGICAL REASSURANCE

WAS URGENTLY NEEDED.

YOUDE

:

HONG KONG AGREEMENT

LIMITED

HD/HKD

HD/FED

HD/PLANNING STAFF

HD/PUSD

DEP HD/PUSD

RESEARCH DEPT (MR WALKER) PS

PS/MR LUCE

PS/PUS

SIR W HARDING

MR WILSON

SIR J FREELAND

MR J CROWLEY, PUSD

1:

RESTRICTED

COPIES TO: (VIA ADR)

MR ROBERTS, NEWS DEPT

MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS

MR BURROWS, LEGAL ADVISERS

MR MARTIN, ASST STAFF CABINET

OFFICE

MR CARTLEDGE, CABINET OFFICE MR D B C CHRISTOPHER, CABINET OFF. SIR P CRADOCK, NO 10 DOWNING ST HKGO

MR. EMERY (2 Copies) B4. H. OFFICE

CROYDON.

MR. HYDE, HOME OFFICE

QUEEN ANNES GATE

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