TNAG-2079-FCO40-2959-Hong-Kong-press-coverage-and-reports-1990 — Page 331

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126033

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FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 1059

OF 2710OOZ MARCH 90

HKB 301

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY 27 MAR 1990

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

REGISTRY

Action Taken

INFO ROUTINE HKGO LONDON, PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG INFO ROUTINE HKGO WASHINGTON, HKGO NEW YORK,

MDLIAN 9686

Ра

NH

17/3

KGO SAN FRANCISCO

INFO ROUTINE HKGO BRUSSELS, HKGO GENEVA, UKMIS GENEVA

HONG KONG AGREEMENT: PRESS COVERAGE: WEEKLY ROUNDUP.

SUMMARY:

1. NEWS ON THE NATIONALITY PACKAGE, THE NPC AND THE BILL OF RIGHTS DREW PROMINENT MEDIA COVERAGE DURING THE PERIOD UNDER REVIEW.

NATIONALITY

2. LI HOU, SAID IN AN INTERVIEW IN PEKING THAT HONG KONG PEOPLE WHO WERE GRANTED UK PASSPORTS UNDER THE NATIONALITY PACKAGE COULD NOT ENJOY CONSULAR PROTECTION IN HONG KONG AFTER 1997, THE MEDIA (26.3) REPORTED IN PROMINENT COVERAGE. LI ALSO SAID THAT HOLDERS OF THESE PASSPORTS COULD NOT USE THE DOCUMENTS TO ENTER OR LEAVE HONG KONG BECAUSE CHINA WOULD NOT RECOGNISE THAT THEY WERE FOREIGN NATIONALS. THE FCO SPOKESMAN IN HONG KONG, CHRISTOPHER OSBORNE, SAID THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WOULD NOT BACK OUT OF ITS COMMITMENT TO INTRODUCE THE NATIONALITY PACKAGE BECAUSE OF PRESSURE FROM CHINA, THE MEDIA (27.3) REPORTED IN GOOD COVERAGE.

3. THE HOME OFFICE PUSS, PETER LLOYD, DURING HIS VISIT TO HONG KONG, SAID THAT CIVIL SERVANTS WOULD TAKE UP A HIGH PROPORTION OF THE PASSPORTS GRANTED UNDER THE NATIONALITY PACKAGE, THE MEDIA (21.3) REPORTED. HOWEVER, HE POINTED OUT THAT THERE WAS A NEED TO STRIKE A RIGHT BALANCE BETWEEN THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND THE CIVIL SERVICE. REPRESENTATIVES OF CIVIL SERVICE UNIONS CRITICISED MR LLOYD FOR OFFERING NOTHING NEW. THE ORIENTAL DAILY NEWS (26.3) REPORTED THAT CONSERVATIVES IN NORTHERN IRELAND WELCOMED ALL 225 000 BENEFICIARIES OF THE NATIONALITY PACKAGE TO SETTLE THERE.

NPC PLENUM

4. LI PENG, IN HIS REPORTED TO THE THIRD PLENUM OF THE SEVENTH NPC REITERATED CHINA'S POLICIES ON HONG KONG AND MACAU, THE MEDIA (21.3) REPORTED. HE SAID THAT ALL CHINESE, SHOULD RESPECT ONE ANOTHER, LIVE IN HARMONY, AND VALUE ONE ANOTHER'S SOCIAL SYSTEMS AND WAY OF LIFE. HE SAID THAT ''COMPATRIOTS IN HONG KONG AND MACAU,'' AS

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