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arrangements for the return of illegals along the above lines.
Talks with the Chinese authorities
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Agreement on practical arrangements for returning illegals has now been reached în principle, as a result of confidential discussions between the Political Adviser and the Secretary for the New Territories on the one hand and the local officials responsible on the Chinese side on the other. The terms of this agreement are summarised as follows:
(a) we should return to China as many as we could
of those who are caught when actually trying to enter Hong Kong unlawfully by land or sea, and before they have got to the urban areas.
(b) We would not be able to return all illegals,
since there will be cases in which public opinion, genuine hardship or the requirements of Hong Kong law would inhibit this, and many would elude us, but we expect to be able to return enough to have a deterrent effect on the illegal traffic.
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(c) Though there would be a short period for
interrogation, there should be as short an interval as possible between apprehension and return, and the machanics of transfer across the frontier would have to ensure against return of those caught.
(d) There would be no question of sending back
the specific groups for whose return the Chinese have already asked: once final agreement was reached, bygones would be bygones and a fresh start would be made.
Categories of special difficulty
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(a) Criminals
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The legal position is that, subject to a few exceptions mentioned below, the Hong Kong immigration authorities have power to refuse "permission to land" to any person, notwith- standing that his activities prior to arrival might render him liable to criminal proceedings elsewhere. The exceptions are:
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