TNAG-2079-FCO40-2959-Hong-Kong-press-coverage-and-reports-1990 — Page 328

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INFO ROUTINE PEKING, UKREP JEG HONG KONG, UKMIS GENEVA INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON

INFO ROUTINE HKGO WASHINGTON, HKGO NEW YORK, HKGO GENEVA INFO ROUTINE HKGO SAN FRANCISCO

HONG KONG AGREEMENT : PRESS COVERAGE : WEEKLY ROUNDUP

SUMMARY

1. THE MEDIA ACCORDED PROMINENT COVERAGE TO NEWS RELATING TO THE NATIONALITY PACKAGE DURING THE PERIOD UNDER REVIEW. NEW RELATING TO THE FUTURE POLITICAL ARRANGEMENTS AND THE BASIC LAW ALSO RECEIVED

GOOD MEDIA COVERAGE.

NATIONALITY

2. QIAN QICHEN, SAID THAT THE BRITISH NATIONALITY PACKAGE WOULD UNDERMINE THE STABILITY OF THE TERRITORY AS WELL AS DIVIDE THE COMMUNITY, THE MEDIA (29.3) REPORTED. HE REITERATED THAT CHINA WOULD NOT RECOGNISE HOLDERS OF BRITISH PASSPORTS ISSUED UNDER THE PACKAGE AS FOREIGNERS AND ADDED THAT THE PASSPORTS COULD NOT BE

USED TO ENTER OR LEAVE HONG KONG AFTER 1997.

3. LI HOU, RENEWED ATTACKS ON THE BRITISH NATIONALITY PACKAGE SAYING THAT CHINA WOULD CONTINUE TO OPPOSE THE SCHEME EVEN IF IT GOT THROUGH PARLIAMENT, THE PAPERS (1.4) REPORTED IN GOOD COVERAGE. HE SAID THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WOULD ONLY RECOGNISE BNO PASSPORTS AS VALID TRAVEL DOCUMENTS AS THE STATUS OF SUCH PASSPORTS HAD BEEN DISCUSSED AND AGREED BETWEEN CHINA AND BRITAIN.

4. HMA PEKING, SAID IN HONG KONG THAT HE HAD MET QIAN QICHEN, ON THE NATIONALITY PACKAGE, BUT HE DECLINED TO REVEAL WHAT HAD BEEN DISCUSSED OR TO COMMENT ON QIAN'S CRITICISM. THE GOVERNOR HOPED THAT THE BRITISH NATIONALITY PACKAGE WOULD GO THROUGH PARLIAMENT SUCCESSFULLY BECAUSE HE BELIEVED THAT A SUCCESSFUL PACKAGE WOULD HELP CONTRIBUTE TO THE STABILITY OF HONG KONG, THE MEDIA (30.3) REPORTED IN GOOD COVERAGE. HE THOUGHT THAT THE KEY THING ABOUT THE NATIONALITY PACKAGE WAS TO KEEP PEOPLE HERE AND TO GIVE PEOPLE THE SENSE OF ASSURANCE ABOUT THEIR ABILITY TO SETTLE SOMEWHERE ELSE IF NECESSARY. HE WAS SURE THAT THE NATIONALITY PACKAGE WOULD ACHIEVE

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