CONFIDENTIAL

D. THE PUBLICIESED DEPLOYMENT OF THESE FURTHER RESOURCES

STILL AVAILABLE MIGHT HELP BUT THE EFFORT COULD NOT BE

SUSTAINED INDEFINITELY.

C. REINFORCEMENT OF THE GARRISON, SAY IN THE FIRST PLACE, WITH TWO COMPANIES OF GURKHAS, WOULD HAVE MUCH MORE EFFECT AND BE MUCH

MORE USEFUL. THE PUBLICITY, REINFORCED BY DIPLOMATIC ACTION, MIGHT SHOCK THE CHINESE INTO TAKING NOTE AND COOPERATING.

3. ON THE CIVILIAN SIDE WE COULD :-

A. ABANDON OUR LONG-STANDING POLICY OF ACCEPTING AND REGISTERING

FOR RESIDENCE ILLEGALS WHO REACH BASE.

B. ARREST AND SEND BACK LEGALS WHO OVERSTAYED (98 PERCENT OF THE LEGAL TRAFFIC).

4. THE CHINESE HAVE URGED US TO DO BOTH (A) AND (B) ABOVE, BUT THE PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES OF EFFECTING ARRESTS, AND LOCAL AND PERHAPS INTERNATIONAL EFFECT OF MEDIA COVERAGE, WOULD BE SERIOUS.

SO COULD BE LOCAL RESENTMENT. MORE IMPORTANT STILL THE IMMIGRANTS WOULD BE FORCED UNDERGROUND, DENIED REGULAR EMPLOYMENT AND THUS CREATE A SUBSTRATUM OF SOCIETY INVITING EXTORTION, EXPLOITATION AND

A FERTILE FIELD FOR CRIME. SUCH A SITUATION IS NOT ACCEPTABLE EXCEPT CONCEIVABLY FOR A LIMITED PERIOD OF TIME FOLLOWED BY AN

AMNESTY.

5. IF WE WERE TO ACT DIRECTLY ON THE CHINESE IN ORDER TO COMMAND

REIR ATTENTION (AS OPPOSED TO MERELY SPEAKING TO THEM) :

A. THE LEAST ABRASIVE METHOD WOULD BE TO IMPOSE A UNILATERAL QUOTA

ON THE SO-CALLED LEGAL TRAFFIC. I ADMIT THAT IN CHOOSING THIS FIELD WE WOULD BE DOING. THE CHINESE A FAINT INJUSTICE SINCE IT IS ONLY IN IT THAT THEY HAVE ACHIEVED ANY RESULTS AT ALL IN RESPONSE TO OUR REPRESENTATIONS. BUT THE RESULTING REACTION COULD

BE USED TO FORCE AN URGENT AND THOROUGH DISCUSSION OF THE LEGAL AND ILLEGAL INVASION OF HONG KONG. I DISAGREE WITH THE AMBASSADOR THAT SUCH DISCUSSIONS WOULD HAVE TO FOCUS ON THE LEGAL TRAFFIC ONLY.

-2-

CONFIDENTIAL

| B. WE

Share This Page