TNAG-2079-FCO40-2959-Hong-Kong-press-coverage-and-reports-1990 — Page 368

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THERE WERE MORE MAINLAND THAN LOCAL DRAFTERS AT THE MEETING. OMELCO SAID THAT IT COULD NOT ACCEPT THE MODEL WHICH SLOWED DOWN THE PACE OF DEMOCRATISATION IN THE TERRITORY. BLDC MEMBER SANFORD YUNG CALLED ON HONG KONG DRAFTERS TO RESIGN EN MASSE. HOWEVER, THE MODERATE CAMP SAID THAT THE FORMULA WAS MORE DEMOCRATIC THAN THE

'CHA-CHA' FORMULA. MARTIN LEE CALLED ON THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO WORK OUT ITS OWN POLITICAL REFORMS FOR HONG KONG IF A CONSENSUS ON POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN THE TERRITORY COULD NOT BE REACHED WITH CHINA.

5. EDITORIALLY, MOST PAPERS SAID THAT THE SEPARATE VOTING MECHANISM WAS UNACCEPTABLE AND NOT DEMOCRATIC. SOME PAPERS HOPED THAT THE NUMBER OF DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS COULD BE CHANGED LATER. SEVERAL COMMENTATORS SAID THAT SOME HONG KONG DRAFTERS HAD SHIFTED THEIR

STANDS ON THE FUTURE POLITICAL STRUCTURE FROM TIME TO TIME.

NATIONALITY RESTRICTIONS

6. THE BLDC SUB-GROUP ENDORSED PROPOSALS THAT THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE

AND PRINCIPAL OFFICIALS IN THE SAR GOVERNMENT WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED

TO HAVE RESIDENCY RIGHTS IN OTHER COUNTRIES. IT WAS ALSO RESOLVED THAT MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE AUTHORITIES, PRESIDENT OF THE LEGISLATURE AND CHIEF JUDGES IN THE COURT OF FINAL APPEAL AND HIGH COURT JUDGES MUST NOT HAVE RIGHT OF ABODE OVERSEAS. THE GROUP

DECIDED AT ANOTHER MEETING THAT THE RESTRICTIONS WERE ALSO APPLICABLE TO THE HEADS OF IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS AND EXCISE SERVICES.

7. THE CHIEF SECRETARY SAID THAT HE WAS NOT SURPRISED BY A DECISION

OF THE BLDC POLITICAL SPECIAL GROUP TO IMPOSE NATIONALITY RESTRICTIONS ON KEY PUBLIC SERVANTS OF THE SAR. SIR DAVID SAID THAT NATIONALITY RESTRICTIONS WERE ALREADY SET OUT IN THE JOINT DECLARATION. HOWEVER, HE SAID THAT HE WOULD OBVIOUSLY BE CONCERNED IF THE RESTRICTIONS WERE EXTENDED WIDELY INTO THE CIVIL SERVICE. HE SAID THAT IT WAS NONSENSE TO SUGGEST THAT THESE RESTRICTIONS WOULD

IN ANY WAY TORPEDO THE NATIONALITY PACKAGE.

8. THE OMELCO CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT PANEL AND THE SPECIAL WORKING GROUP ON THE NATIONALITY WOULD ASK THE GOVERNMENT TO SEEK CLARIFICATION FROM THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT ON THE NEW NATIONALITY RESTRICTIONS, PARTICULARLY THE QUESTION OF CONSULAR PROTECTION FOR THOSE HONG KONG PEOPLE TO BE GIVEN THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN THE U K

UNDER THE NATIONALITY PACKAGE.

TALKS ON POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS

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