TNAG-2195-FCO40-3132-Hong-Kong-nationality-package-1990 — Page 253

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157557 MDHIAN 7423

ELITIST.

5. EIGHT CHINESE NEWSPAPERS CARRIED COMMENTARIES ON THE SCHEME. TWO PRO-CHINA PAPERS AND THE EXPRESS WERE CRITICAL, DOUBTING THAT IT WOULD ACHIEVE ITS OBJECTIVES. FOUR PAPERS EXPRESSED CONCERN MAINLY OVER THE CONSEQUENCES OF CHINESE OPPOSITION TO THE BILL BUT THE PAPERS THEMSELVES WERE NOT OPPOSED. THE HONG KONG ECONOMIC JOURNAL SAID THAT THE PASSAGE OF THE BILL WOULD BE A GREAT HELP IN THE SMOOTH RUNNING OF THE TERRITORY DURING THE TRANSITION BUT THE PAPER WAS CONCERNED THAT THE BILL MIGHT CONTRIBUTE TO THE DOWNFALL OF THE CONSERVATIVE GOVERNMENT.

6. FROM OUR BRIEFING SESSIONS ON 4 APRIL, INCLUDING ALL MAJOR CIVIL SERVICE UNIONS AND DISCIPLINED SERVICES COUNCILS, OMELCO, DISTRICT OFFICERS, IT IS CLEAR THAT THERE IS A VERY STRONG DESIRE FOR THE GRANTING OF CITIZENSHIP AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. THIS, COUPLED WITH THE WIDESPREAD REACTION FROM INTEREST GROUPS THAT THE SCHEME IS NOT LARGE ENOUGH, LEADS TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THE SCHEME WILL FILL AN ACUTE NEED AMONG THE GROUPS WHICH ARE TO BENEFIT.

7. FOR THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE WE WOULD EXPECT SOME FURTHER EXPRESSION OF CONCERN OVER DIVISIVENESS, PARTICULARLY FROM THOSE GROUPS BECOMING AWARE THAT THEY ARE NOT COVERED. OVERALL THE REACTION HAS BEEN CALM AND TACITLY POSITIVE. THERE IS NO OUTRIGHT OPPOSITION YET.

WILSON

YYYY

MAIN

67

.HK AGREEMENT NATIONALITY

LIMITED

HKD

HD/FED

HD /NTD

HD/CONSULAR D

NEWS D

PUSD

ADDITIONAL

11

HK AGREEMENT NATIONALITY

NNNN

DISTRIBUTION

78

PS

PS/MR MAUDE PS/LORD BRABAZON PS/PUS

MR GILLMORE

MR MCLAREN

MR BLATHERWICK

MISS SPENCER

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