UNCLASSIFIED
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 25110OZ FCO
TELNO 1242
OF 2509OOZ APRIL 86
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, PEKING
MIPT : NATIONALITY ORDER IN COUNCIL : UNOFFICIALS' REACTION
TEXT OF STATEMENT IS AS FOLLOWS-
BEGINS
STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF EXECUTIVE AND
LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS ON 25 APRIL 1986
THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS
MET THIS AFTERNOON TO DISCUSS THE STATEMENT MADE IN THE HOUSE OF
COMMONS ON 23RD APRIL. WE ARE GLAD THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT
HAVE ACCEPTED TWO OF OUR THREE REQUESTS, NAMELY, AN ENDORSEMENT
*N THE NEW BNO PASSPORT STATING THAT HOLDERS DO NOT REQUIRE A VISA
TO VISIT THE UNITED KINGDOM AND THE GRANTING OF THE RIGHT OF ABODE
IN BRITAIN TO FORMER SERVICEMEN.
WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT THE PROPOSED ENDORSEMENT IN THE NEW
PASSPORT WHICH MAKES IT CLEAR THAT HOLDERS DO NOT REQUIRE VISAS
TO VISIT THE UNITED KINGDOM WILL GREATLY HELP TO ENHANCE THE ACCEPTANCE TO THIRD COUNTRIES OF THIS NEW PASSPORT SO THAT THEY
TOO MAY ALLOW VISA-FREE ENTRY TO THEIR COUNTRIES. THIS WILL ENABLE
OVER 3 MILLION HONG KONG PEOPLE TO CONTINUE TO TRAVEL WITH RELATIVE EASE IN THE FUTURE. THIS IS VITAL TO HONG KONG'S CONTINUED
PROSPERITY AND STABILITY.
WE ARE GLAD THAT FORMER SERVICEMEN AND THEIR DEPENDANTS WILL
BE GIVEN FULL BRITISH CITIZENSHIP OR THE RIGHT TO SETTLE IN THE
UNITED KINGDOM, BRITAIN AND HONG KONG OWE THEM A DEBT OF GRATITUDE
AND THESE ARRANGEMENTS ARE A FITTING RECOGNITION OF THE IR
CONTRIBUTION.
•
WE ARE DISAPPOINTED THAT THE FRITISH GOVERNMENT DIT NOT ACCEPT
OUP REQUEST FOR NON-ETHNIC CHINESE TO BE GRANTED FULL BRITISH CITIZENHSIP, DESPITE THE FACT THAT THIS HAS REEN AN ISSUE ON WHICH
THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE HAS SPOKEN WITH ONE VOICE. BRITAIN HAS A
MORAL RESPONSIBILITY TO THIS SMALL GROUP AND WE UPGE THAT OUR
FRIENDS IN THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT TO CONTINUE TO PRESS THEIR
LEGITIMATE CLAIM.
-
/we.
A
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