GRS 250
RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 2857
OF 19044OZ DECEMBER 25
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
RESTRICTED
AKK 040/4
TOR
603
NATIONALITY ORDER IN COUNCIL : HONG KONG VIEWS
FURTHER TO OUR FULL REPORT SENT TO YOU SUMMARISING THE VIEWS EXPRESSED THROUGH VARIOUS CHANNELS SINCE PUBLICATION OF THE WHITE PAPER, TWO DISTRICT BOARDS HAVE DISCUSSED THE NATIONALITY ISSUE AND WE HAVE RECEIVED FURTHER REPRESENTATIONS.
2. ACCEPTABILITY OF BN(0) PASSPORTS AND AN APPEAL THAT HMG SHOULD GRANT AN AUTOMATIC RIGHT OF ENTRY INTO THE UK TO BN(0) PASSPORT HOLDERS WERE THE MAJOR THEMES OF DISCUSSION AT THE KWUN TONG AND WAN CHAI DISTRICT BOARD MEETINGS. A NUMBER OF MEMBERS ALSO PEITERA- TED THE NEED FOR EARLY ARRANGEMENTS TO BE AGREED BY BOTH GOVERNMENTS TO ENSURE CONTINUED EASE OF TRAVEL OF HOLDERS OF CERTIFICATE OF IDENTITY. SO FAR, EIGHT DISTRICT POARDS HAVE DISCUSSED THE NATIONALITY ORDER. THE PEMAINING ELEVEN HAVE . NOT YET INDIATED ANY INTEREST ON THE SUBJECT.
3. NON-CHINESE BDTCS, IN PARTICULAR THE INDIAN COMMUNITY, CONTINUED
THE THE IP LOBBYING. IN A LETTER ADDRESSED TO THE CHIEF SECRETARY, PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL OF HONG KONG INDIAN ASSOCIATIONS PEPEATED HIS PLEA FOR RIGHT OF ABODE IN THE UK AND SOUGHT ASSUPANCE THAT VIEWS EXPRESSED BY UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS IN SUPPORT OF THE IP REQUEST IN THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE HAD BEEN CONVEYED TO HMG. AN URPAN COUNCILLOR, MR. W.M. SULKE, ALSO SENT A WRITTEN PLEA ON BEHALF OF THE NON-CHINESE BDTCS TO THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY.
4. ON 15 DECEMBER SCMP CARRIED A LENGTHY ARTICLE BY JACK SPACKMAN ENTITLED 'THE INDIAN LOBBY GROWS. BUSINESS RACKS A WORRIED COMMUNITY''. IT DESCRIBED THE CONTRIBUTION MADE TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY BY THE INDIAN COMMUNITY AND RECAPITULATED ARUGEMENTS PUT FORWARD BY THIS SECTOR FOR SPECIAL TREATMENT AND SUPPORT EXPRESSED DY A NUMBER OF LEGCO MEMBERS IN THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE. WITHOUT SPECIFICALLY MENTIONING NAMES, THE WRITER QUOTED INDIAN COMMUNITY
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