TNAG-1557-FCO40-2121-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-passports-Hong-Kong-(Br-1986 — Page 8

4. TA KUNG PAO, ONE OF THE LEADING LEFT-WING DAILIES, SAID IT WAS PERFECTLY WITHIN THE POWER OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO GRANT BN (0) PASSPORT HOLDERS FREE ENTRY INTO THE UK BECAUSE THIS HAD NOTHING TO

DO WITH THE JOINT DECLARATION AND DID NOT INVOLVE LONG NEGOTIATIONS

WITH THIRD COUNTRIES. IT QUESTIONED THE USEFULNESS OF THE NEW BN (0) PASSPORT IN THIRD COUNTRIES IF THE HOLDER WAS NOT ALLOWED FREE ENTRY INTO THE ISSUING COUNTRY. THE PAPER ALSO SUPPORTED THE UNOFFICIALS' URGE THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT SHOULD GIVE THE RIGHT OF ABODE

IN THE UK TO ETHNIC MINORITIES IN HK. IT CONCLUDED THAT IT WAS TIME

FOR BRITAIN TO HONOUR ITS MORAL OBLIGATION TO HK BY ACCEPTING THE UNOFFICIALS' REQUESTS.

YOUDE

HONG KONG AGREEMENT: NATIONALITY

LIMITED

HD/HKD

HD/FED

HD/NTD

RESEARCH D (MR WALKER)

DEP HD/PUSD

PS

PS/R RENTON

PS/PUS

SIR W HARDING MR WILSON

·COPIES TO:

MR ROBERTS, NEWS DEPT

MR FIFOOT. LEGAL ADVISERS

MR GRAINGER, LEGAL ADVISERS

MR D MCDOUGALL, MVD

MR HYDE, HOME OFFICE

MR EMERY, B4 DIV, HOME OFFICE, CROYDON

MR NICHOLSON, PASSPORT DEPT, HOME OFFICE,

ROOM 236, CLIVE HOUSE.

MR MCDONOUGH, B2 DIV, HOME OFFICE

MR WOOD LEGAL ADVISERS

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