TNAG-2079-FCO40-2959-Hong-Kong-press-coverage-and-reports-1990 — Page 99

UNCLASSIFIED

134634

MDLIAN 0209

ANALYSTS ON SINO-HK RELATIONS, SAID THAT THE CHINESE WOULD MAKE KNOWN ITS STANCE ON THE AIRPORT PROJECT BY NEXT MARCH OR APRIL AND THAT IT WAS LIKELY THAT THE CHINESE WOULD SUPPORT THE PROJECT IF THE HK GOVERNMENT MADE SOME CONCESSIONS. THE EXPRESS SAID THAT GUANGDONG PROVINCIAL OFFICIALS HAD RECENTLY INDICATED THEIR SUPPORT FOR HK'S AIRPORT PROJECT.

NATIONALITY

19. THE MEDIA ACCORDED GOOD COVERAGE TO A DIRECTION TO THE GOVERNOR ISSUED BY THE BRITISH HOME SECRETARY TO SPECIFY THE TIMESCALE AND THE NUMBER OF HEADS OF HOUSEHOLDS TO BE RECOMMENDED FOR BRITISH CITIZENSHIP DURING THE FIRST PHASE OF THE PACKAGE. THE MEDIA QUOTED SECRETARY FOR SECURITY ALISTAIR ASPREY AS SAYING THAT ALL APPLICATIONS WOULD BE TREATED IN STRICT CONFIDENCE AND THAT IT WOULD BE AN OFFENCE FOR ANY PERSON INVOLVED IN THE PROCESSING OF SUCH APPLICATIONS TO DISCLOSE, WITHOUT AUTHORISATION, THE IDENTITY OF APPLICANTS OR ANY INFORMATION RELATING TO THEIR APPLICATIONS. CHINESE VICE FOREIGN MINISTER TIAN ZENGPEI WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THAT THE CHINESE POSITION ON THE NATIONALITY ISSUE HAD NOT CHANGED.

20. THE ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT OF DETAILS OF VARIOUS QUOTAS ALLOCATED TO THE 20 GROUPS IN THE GENERAL OCCUPATIONAL CLASS DURING THE FIRST PHASE OF THE BRITISH NATIONALITY PACKAGE SELECTION SCHEME WAS WIDELY REPORTED. SING TAO JIG PAO REPORTED THAT THE ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENT INFORMATION OFFICERS SAID THAT THE 160 PLACES ALLOCATED TO JOURNALISTS AND NEWS EDITORS WERE TOO FEW. THE HK SOCIAL WORKERS' GENERAL UNION ALSO FELT THAT THE QUOTA OF 108 PLACES FOR SOCIAL WORKERS WERE NOT ENOUGH.

US

21. MEDIA REPORTS (21.11) QUOTED AN OFFICIAL OF THE US STATE DEPARTMENT AS SAYING THAT THE RECIPIENTS OF IMMIGRANT VISAS UNDER THE COUNTRY'S NEW IMMIGRATION BILL WOULD INCLUDE THOSE HK PEOPLE HOLDING CERTIFICATES OF IDENTITY.

DOMINICA

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22. SEVERAL REPORTS (21.11) SAID THAT DOMINICA HAD PROPOSED A NEW CATEGORY OF CITIZENSHIP AS PART OF ITS STRATEGY TO LURE INVESTORS FROM HK, TAIWAN AND SINGAPORE.

WILSON