Miss Buiss
buck
papins please
3/3 HBJ
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 03090OZ FCO
TELNO 343
OF 030655Z MARCH 93
HKCD 340/6.
RECE
09 MAR 1993
DESK OFFICEE
INDEX
عار
Is Barnes Jonesa
ра
Let out
9/3
0260TO
MDHIAN 1754
TOP COPY
G DIST?
LEGCO DEBATE ON ETHNIC MINORITIES
SUMMARY
1. THE ISSUE OF THE STATELESSNESS OF THE ETHNIC MINORITY COMMUNITY IN HONG KONG WILL NOT GO AWAY. A LEGCO DEBATE IS SCHEDULED FOR 10 MARCH. THE MOTION CALLS ON US TO DECLARE OUR SUPPORT BOTH PUBLICLY AND IN REPRESENTATIONS TO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT.
BACKGROUND
HKD 340/4.
2. THE LAST DEBATE IN LEGCO ON 18 NOVEMBER WAS REPORTED IN OUR TELNO 2731. THE ISSUE IS NOW COMING TO A HEAD AGAIN. THE LEGCO SUB-COMMITTEE ON NATIONALITY, AFTER ITS THIRD MEETING WITH THE ADMINISTRATION ON 11 FEBRUARY, COMPILED A REPORT WHICH WAS CONSIDERED BY THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON 19 FEBRUARY. THE REPORT PROPOSED A MOTION DEBATE IN SUPPORT OF THE REPORT AND THIS PROPOSAL WAS ENDORSED BY A 21 TO 2 MAJORITY IN THE HOUSE COMMITTEE. EMILY LAU, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE SUB-COMMITTEE, WILL MOVE THE MOTION IN LEGCO ON 10 MARCH, URGING THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO DECLARE ITS SUPPORT, BOTH PUBLICLY AND TO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT, FOR FULL BRITISH NATIONALITY FOR NON-CHINESE ETHNIC MINORITIES IN HONG KONG.
3. THE SUB-COMMITTEE'S REPORT AND THE FULL DRAFT MOTION, TOGETHER WITH THE CONFIRMED MINUTES OF THE SUB-COMMITTEE MEETING ON 29 DECEMBER 1992 (THE DRAFT OF WHICH YOU HAVE SEEN) AND THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING ON 18 JANUARY 1993 ALL FOLLOW BY FAX.
ANALYSIS
4. IN CONTENT THIS WILL BE A RERUN OF THE DEBATE LAST NOVEMBER. HOWEVER, ON THIS OCCASION, LEGCO ARE CLEARLY TRYING TO KNOCK US OFF OUR NEUTRAL PERCH. SUPPORT IN LEGCO FOR THE ETHNIC MINORITIES HAS FIRMED UP, UNDER STRONG LEADERSHIP FROM EMILY LAU AND JIMMY MCGREGOR. THEIR APPARENT IDEALISM AS WELL AS POLITICAL SKILL HAS PUT US MORE ON THE DEFENSIVE.
5. IN PARTICULAR, THE REPORT MOVES AWAY FROM ASKING FOR A
1
PAGE CONFIDENTIAL
Page 120Page 121
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.