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4. PEKING MAY ALSO WISH TO COMMENT ON THE 3 CASES IN REFTEL PARA 2.
THESE WERE ALL KEPT IN POLICE DETENTION BUT WE HAVE NO RECORD OF ANY OF THEM BEING HANDCUFFED, NONE OF THOSE DETAINED
REGISTERED COMPLAINTS WHEN THEY WERE DISCHARGED. WHILE MEALS
ARE PROVIDED UNDER THE CELL DOOR- AS IS STANDARD PRACTICE- IT IS NOT TRUE THAT WATER IS ONLY ALLOWED AT MEAL TIMES. A NOTICE
IN EACH CELL SAYS THAT COMPLAINTS CAN BE MADE AT ANY TIME AND THAT
WATER WILL BE PROVIDED ON REQUEST. IN ALL CASES THE SENIOR IMMIG- RATION OFFICER ON DUTY BELIEVED AFTER INTERVIEWS THAT THE TRAVELLERS
INTENDED TO REMAIN IN HONG KONG. WE HAVE HAD A CONSIDERABLE NUMBER
OF OVERSTAYERS (LIKE THESE 3 CASES) WITH VISAS FOR SURINAM. DURING OCTOBER 5 SUCH PEOPLE (WHO HAD NOT BEEN DETAINED ON ARRIVAL IN HONG KONG) APPLIED FOR EXTENSIONS OF STAY: OF THESE 1 HAD
ARRIVED IN 1978, 2 IN 1979 AND 1 IN MARCH 1980.
5. WE HOPE THAT THIS ISSUE CAN BE DEFUSED. PEKING MAY WISH TO
ADD THAT IT WOULD GREATLY HELP IF THOSE BEING GIVEN PASSPORTS FOR TRANSITTING HONG KONG TO ONWARD DESTINATIONS COULD BE TOLD THAT
THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO REMAIN IN HONG KONG IF THEY DO NOT
PROCEED TO THEIR ONWARD DESTINATION.
6. IF YOU AGREE TO ACTION AS ABOVE WE WILL SPEAK SIMILARLY TO NCNA
CATER
LIMITED HK & GD
FED
CONS D
PASSPORT OFFICE
M & VD
NEWS D
OID
PS
PS/LPS
PS/MR RIDLEY
PS/PUS
MR DONALD
MR ADAMS
2
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