TNAG-1560-FCO40-2124-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-passports-Hong-Kong-(Br-1986 — Page 168

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STATEMENT BY HON LYDIA DUNN, CBE, LLD, JP LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 29.1.86

IN Powell 236

DRAFT HONG KONG (BRITISH NATIONALITY) ORDER 1986

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with your permission, Sir, I should like to make a

statement as a matter of prime concern to me and to my Unofficial

colleagues. we

are still awaiting the outcome to the calls made

in this Council for implementation of the proposals set out in my letter dated 3rd January 1986 which was tabled in this Council a

fortnight ago. However, my colleagues and I have noted the Minister of State for Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs, Mr Timothy

Renton's assurance on 24th January that Her Majesty's Government

will agree to our request for an endorsement in the new BNO passport which would make clear that holders of these passports will not require entry visas to the United Kingdom for bona fide

visits. We also welcome the news that a team of Hong Kong

Government Officials will visit London to provide further

information on the non-ethnic minorities and the status of

ex-servicemen. These are positive initiatives in response to the serious concern in Hong Kong about these important matters and we

welcome them.

The Minister of State has said that the endorsement in

the passport is subject to a satisfactory formula being found. We are sure that this can be worked out. As I said before,

"where there is a will, there is a way."

a will, there is a way." I should like to make

clear yet again that we

we do not seek to be exempted from normal immigration formalities. On that point, there is no

no difference

between our position and that of the British Government.

We are encouraged by the Minister's assurance that

"minds are not closed" in Westminster on the plight of the

non-ethnic minorities and ex-servicemen. We hope that ways and

means of meeting fully their concerns will be explored in the light of the information provided by the Hong Kong team of

Government Officials.

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6 FEB 1986

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