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FM HONG KONG Ø309552 FEB 82

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 88 OF 3 FEBRUARY

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE LONDON

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YOURTELNO 65: MISS CHRISTINE VERTUCCI.

SINCE WE COMMENTED ON THE POSITION IN OUR TELNO 72 THERE HAS BEEN CONTINUING PRESS INTEREST AND FURTHER LETTERS OF PROTEST HAVE BEEN

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RECEIVED LOCALLY AND FROM OVERSEAS. THERE HAS BEEN AN INCONCLUSIVE See 18

LEADER IN THE SOUTH CHINA MORNING POOST ANDD THE CHINNESEE PRESS HAS CONFINED ITS REPORTING TO THE FACTS.

2. A FURTHER JOINT STATEMENT WAS RECEIVED THIS AFTERNOON AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE SIGNED BY FOURTEEN LOCAL ORGANISATIONS EXPRESSING CONCERN THAT GOVT HAS REFUSED TO GRANT MS VERTUCCI AN EXTENSION OF HER VISA. THIS JOINT STATEMENT ALSO COMPLAINS THAT MS VERTUCCI HAS BEEN DEPRIVED OF THE RIGHT OF GENUINE APPEAL BECAUSE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT DISCLOSE ITS REASONS FOR REFUSING THE VISA EXTENSION. WE SHALL BE ANSWERING THESE POINTS IN THE USUAL WAY. 3. SO FAR MISS VERTUCCI HAS NOT HERSELF APPEALED AGAINST THE DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION'S DECISION UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 53 OF THE IMMIGRATION ORDINANCE. WE ARE EXAMINING PETITIONS RECEIVED TO ENSURE THAT NONE ARE FROM HER OR AUTHORISED LEGAL REPRESENTATIVES ACTING ON HER BEHALF AND WITH HER CONSENT. TIME LIMIT FOR HER APPEAL IS CLOSE OF PLAY ON

4TH FEBRUARY.

4. IN THE EVENT THAT MISS VERTUCCI SUBMITS HER APPEAL THEN HER

STAY WILL BE EXTENDED FOR 14 DAYS. DURING THIS TIME EXECUTIVE

COUNCIL WILL CONSIDER THE APPEAL. IT IS OUR INTENTION THAT THEY

SHOULD BE INVITED TO DO SO ON THE 9TH FEBRUARY.

MACLEHOSE

MINIMAL HKOGD

COPIES

TO

HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE

LONDON

CONFIDENTIAL

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