UNCLASSIFIED
HKB301/1
28
014652 MDLIAN 5186
UNCLASSIFIED
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 1287
OF 19100OZ APRIL 90
RECEI
25 APR 1990
SKC
IND
won la con
2414.
INFO ROUTINE PEKING, UKMIS GENEVA, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
INFO ROUTINE HKGO WASHINGTON, HKGO NEW YORK, HKGO SAN FRANCISCO INFO ROUTINE HKGO GENEVA
HONG KONG AGREEMENT : PRESS COVERAGE : WEEKLY ROUNDUP
SUMMARY
1. THE MEDIA ACCORDED PROMINENT AND EXTENSIVE COVERAGE TO NEWS RELATING TO THE BRITISH NATIONALITY PACKAGE DURING THE PERIOD UNDER REVIEW. REMARKS BY SOME SENIOR CHINESE OFFICIALS ON THE BASIC LAW AND THE BILL OF RIGHTS ALSO RECEIVED GOOD COVERAGE.
NATIONALITY
2. THE PAPERS (11.4) REPORTED IN PROMINENT COVERAGE AN ANNOUNCEMENT BY FRANCIS MAUDE ON APPROACHES MADE BY BRITAIN TO SOME 20 COUNTRIES TO PROVIDE AN INTERNATIONAL SAFETY NET FOR HK PEOPLE. THE ANNOUNCEMENT DREW A QUICK RESPONSE FROM FOREIGN MISSIONS IN HONG KONG, MANY OF WHICH DENIED KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROPOSAL OR CLAIMED THAT THEY WERE CONSIDERING THE GRANTING OF ENTRY PERMITS BUT NOT PASSPORTS. THE FOREIGN OFFICE SAID THAT AMONG 20 COUNTRIES CONTACTED, EIGHT COUNTRIES - FRANCE, SINGAPORE, THE US, CANADA, AUSTRALIA, GERMANY, LUXEMBURG AND BELGIUM HAD RESPONDED POSITIVELY TO THE APPEAL. OTHERS, INCLUDING HOLLAND, SWEDEN, DENMARK, FINLAND AND PORTUGAL, HAD DECLINED THE PROPOSAL, THE PAPERS (11.4) REPORTED.
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3. FRANCIS MAUDE'S END-OF-VISIT PRESS CONFERENCE WAS EXTENSIVELY COVERED. THE PAPERS (12.4) HIGHLIGHTED HIS REMARKS THAT THE NATIONALITY BILL WOULD GET THROUGH PARLIAMENT AND THAT BRITAIN WOULD CONTINUE TO EXPLAIN TO CHINA THE RATIONALE BEHIND THE NATIONALITY PACKAGE. SOME REPORTS, PARTICULARLY PRO-PEKING PAPERS, SAID THAT MR MAUDE WAS CLOSELY QUESTIONED BY REPORTERS ON HIS ANNOUNCEMENT ON COMMITMENTS AND POTENTIAL COMMITMENTS BY OTHER COUNTRIES TO PROVIDE ASSURANCE SCHEMES FOR HONG KONG PEOPLE. WEN WEI PO EVEN HIGHLIGHTED THE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE CONCERNING HIS EARLIER STATEMENT ON AN INTERNATIONAL RESCUE PACKAGE. HE SAID POLICIES WERE MADE NOT IN CONSULATES BUT IN NATIONAL CAPITALS AND THERE HAD BEEN A PROCESS OF DISCUSSION WITH
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UNCLASSIFIED
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