TNAG-1560-FCO40-2124-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-passports-Hong-Kong-(Br-1986 — Page 39

HICK 040/4

Reu

GRS 550

6 MAR 1986

UNCLASSIFIED

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 675

OF 04093OZ MARCH 86

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

TOP COPY

MIPT : HONG KONG AGREEMENT: NATIONALITY ORDERN COUNCIL.

TEXT OF DUNN'S LETTER IS AS FOLLOWS-

DRAFT HONG KONG (BRITISH NATIONALITY) ORDER 1986

AM WRITING ON BEHALF OF UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO THANK YOU FOR THE INTEREST YOU HAVE BEEN SHOWING IN THE DRAFT ORDER AND TO TELL YOU THAT THE DRAFT ORDER IS STILL VERY MUCH A TOPIC OF GREAT CONCERN HERE IN HONG KONG.

MEMBERS WERE ENCOURAGED BY THE FORCEFULNESS OF ARGUMENT AND DEPTH OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT HONG KONG SHOWN IN THE DEBATES IN BOTH HOUSES. WE WERE IMPRESSED BY THE FEELING OF UNEASE ABOUT THE DRAFT ORDER EXPRESSED BY ALMOST ALL MPS WHO SPOKE. WE WERE PARTICULARLY STRUCK BY THE UNANIMITY IN SUPPORTING OUR REQUESTS OF THE LORDS WHO SPOKE IN THEIR DEBATE ON 20 JANUARY AND THE EFFECT THAT THIS HAD IN CAUSHING THE GOVERNMENT TO RECONSIDER THE DRAFT ORDER AND TO SEEK WAYS OF SATISFYING THE REQUESTS. THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG COULD NOT HAVE ASKED FOR BETTER PROOF THAT THEY STILL HAVE STAUNCH AND ENERGETIC FRIENDS IN BRITAN WHOSE WORDS ARE LISTENED TO. THINK YOU WILL UNDERSTAND THE GREAT SENSE OF RELIEF AND RENEWED HOPE THAT TOUCHED ALL PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY HERE WHEN NEWS OF THE DEBATES REACHED HONG KONG.

HNTEREST IN THE DRAFT ORDER CONTINUES IN HONG KONG, AND THERE IS MUCH SPECULATION ABOUT THE OUTCOME OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S DELIBERATIONS ON THE VIEWS EXPRESSED ON IT. WE HAVE RECEIVED FORMAL MESSAGES OF SUPPORT FROM MOST OF HONG KONG'S 19 DISTRICT BOARDS AND NUMEROUS LETTERS OF SYMPATHY AND ENCOURAGEMENT FROM A WIDE RANGE OF ORGANISATIONS AND PRIVATE CITIZENS. WE WELCOME THE UNDERTAKING BY MR TIMOTHY RENTON DURING HIS VISIT TO HONG KONG IN JANUARY THAT PROVIDING A SATISFACTORY FORMULA CAN BE FOUND, HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT WILL AGREE TO THE POSITION BEING MADE CLEAR IN THE BN (0) PASSPORTS' THAT THE HOLDERS OF THESE PASSPORTS WILL HAVE THE RIGHT TO ENTER THE UNTIED KINGDOM WITHOUT VISAS ON (NEXT TWO WORDS UNDERLINED) BONA FIDE VISITS. WE HOPE THAT AN ACCEPTABLE FORM OF WORDING WILL BE AVA HALBLE WELL BEFORE THE REVPSED ORDER IS INTRODUCED INTO PARL-PAMENT.

/ SINCE

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