TNAG-1559-FCO40-2123-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-passports-Hong-Kong-(Br-1986 — Page 110

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THE ORIENTAL DAILY NEWS QUOTED SIR S.Y. AS SAYING THAT HE WOULD BE SURPRISED IF GOVERNOR SIR EDWARD YOUDE DID NOT SIDE WITH UMELCO MEMBERS WHEN HE DISCUSSED THE NATIONALITY ISSUE WITH MR RENTON

TOMORROW.

MISS DUNN SAID SHE HOPED THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WOULD TAKE HEED

OF THE PEERS' WIEWS.

LEGCO UNOFFICIAL DESMOND LEE SAND HE WOULD SUGGEST AT FRIDAY'S UMELCO IN-HOUSE MEETING THAT LEGCO SHOULD HOLD AN ADJOURNMENT DEBATE TO REVIEW AND RESPOND TO THE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE ON NATIONALITY. HE ALSO SUGGESTED THAT THE UNOFFICIALS MIGHT CALL ON HK PEOPLE TO BOYCOTT THE BN (0) PASSPORT IF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT REJECTED

LEGCO'S THREE REQUESTS.

ANOTHER UNOFFICIAL, MARTIN LEE, SAID THE LORDS' SUPPORT FOR LEGCO'S REQUEST MIGHT FORCE THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO RECONSIDER ITS POSITION. MR LEE REGRETTED THAT HK'S ONLY PEER, LORD KADOORIE, DID

NOT ATTEND THE DEBATE TO SUPPORT HK'S CASE.

REPRESENTATIVES OF THE INDIAN COMMUNITY HERE SAID THEY WERE ENCOURAGED BY THE LORDS DEBATE. THEY ADDED THAT LORD MACLEHOSE'S

SPEECH WAS ENCOURAGING.

AD ADVISER TO THE CONFEDERATION OF BRITISH INDUSTRIES HERE WAS QUOTED BY RADIO-3 AS SAYING 4F HK PEOPLE BELIEVED THAT THE JOINT DECLARATHON WOULD RENDER SOME PEOPLE HERE STATELESS, THEY COULD TAKE THE CASE TO THE UNITED NATIONS AS THE AGREEMENTS WAS REGISTERED WITH

THE U.N.

SING TAO JIH PAO SAID THAT FOLLOWING THE WAN CHA DISTRICT BOARD'S SUPPORT FOR THE LEGCO REQUESTS, THE SHA TIN DISTRICT BOARD ALSO DECIDED UNANIMOUSLY TO SUPPORT LEGCO. A STATEMENT WAS EXPECTED TO

BE ISSUED LATER.

COMMENTARIES (NON-COMMUNIST PAPERS)

THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S STAND ON THE NATIONALITY ISSUE CAME UNDER CRITICISM FROM SIX INDEPENDENT PAPERS FOR ITS FAILURE TO MEET ITS MORAL RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS THE PEOPLE OF HK.''

SING TAO JIH PAO EXPRESSED DISAPPOINTMENT AND DISGUST OVER THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S UNCOMPROMISING ATTITUDE AND ITS FAILURE TO

SHOULDER ITS MORAL RESPONSIBILITIES.

?

THE EXPRESS ACCUSED THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT OF DOUBLE STANDARDS.'' ON THE ONE HAND, IT CONTINUED TO SELL THE HK AGREEMENT WHILE ARRANGING A WAY OUT FOR THOSE WHO HAD CLOSE LINKS WITH LONDON. ON THE OTHER HAND, IT FAILED TO MEET ITS MORAL RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.

THE FINANCIAL DAILY SAID IT WAS A SUPREME IRONY THAT A COUNTRY

WOULD PUT UP ALL SORTS OF OBSTACLES IN THE WAY OF THE HOLDERS OF

WOULD PUT UP ALL SORTS OF

PASS-

.PORT