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CONFIDENTIAL
TOP COPY 075173
HKB 011/30 DIST ? MDHIAN 8364
AMENDED DISTRIBUTION 29 MAR
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1004
OF 29020OZ MARCH 89
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
FAC INQUIRY: MEDIA COVERAGE AND COMMENTS ON FAC HEARINGS ON 22 MARCH
SUMMARY
1. THE HONG KONG MEDIA GAVE PROMINENT AND EXTENSIVE COVERAGE TO THE HEARINGS. REPORTS AND COMMENTARY ON THE EVIDENCE GIVEN BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND THE GOVERNOR FOCUSSED ON NATIONALITY, THE BASIC LAW AND HUMAN RIGHTS. MOST PEOPLE WERE DISAPPOINTED WITH THE S OF S'S REPLY ON NATIONALITY.
NATIONALITY
2. MOST REPORTS PLAYED UP SIR GEOFFREY HOWE'S REMARKS ON THE NATIONALITY ISSUE. HE WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THAT HE WAS AWARE OF RECENT REQUESTS FOR AMENDMENTS TO THE NATIONALITY ACT BUT IT WAS IMPRACTICAL AND UNACCEPTABLE TO INTRODUCE SUCH AMENDMENTS.
3. MANY LEGCO MEMBERS EXPRESSED DISSATISFACTION OVER BRITAIN'S ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE NATIONALITY ISSUE. SOME NOTED THAT EFFORTS TO MOVE BRITAIN HAD BEEN FUTILE, BUT OMELCO MEMBERS HAD AN OBLIGATION TO MAKE THEIR VIEWS KNOWN TO HMG EVEN THOUGH THE DOOR ON THE RIGHT OF ABODE WAS SLAMMED ON HK PEOPLE. SUCH SENTIMENTS WERE ECHOED BY POLITICAL COMMENTATORS AND PRESS COMMENTARIES. OTHERS WHO WERE MORE CRITICAL WERE ANGERED BY WHAT THEY SAW AS BRITISH INTRANSIGENCE ON GRANTING MORE U K PASSPORTS TO HK RESIDENTS. THEY ALSO MADE THE OBVIOUS COMPARISON WITH LISBON'S DECISION TO GRANT PASSPORTS TO ELIGIBLE CITIZENS OF MACAU.
4. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE GOVERNOR WAS SEEN TO BE STANDING ON THE SIDE OF HK PEOPLE OVER THIS QUESTION OF NATIONALITY AND IN SO DOING WAS REFLECTING THE REAL SITUATION IN HONG KONG.
BASIC LAW
5. SIR GEOFFREY HOWE'S REMARKS ON THE DRAFTING OF THE BL ALSO FEATURED PROMINENTLY IN PRESS REPORTS. HE WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THAT ALTHOUGH THIS WAS A MATTER FOR THE CHINESE, BRITAIN HAD THE RIGHT TO SATISFY ITSELF THAT THE PROVISIONS OF THE BL COMPLIED WITH THE JD.
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