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AN INDICATION THAT BRITAIN WAS DISTANCING ITSELF FROM HONG KONG.
10. HE SAID THAT THERE WERE REPORTS THAT THOSE HONG KONG RESIDENTS WHO HAD BEEN REFUSED ENTRY HAD THEIR PASSPORTS STAMPED WITH A CHOP WHICH WAS SUBSEQUENTLY CROSSED OUT BY UK IMMIGRATION OFFICERS. BEARING IN MIND THAT THOSE CONCERNED WERE YET ENTITLED TO APPEAL AGAINST THE REFUSAL OF ENTRY, IT WAS UNFAIR TO CONTINUE WITH SUCH A PRACTICE. SUCH A STAMP COULD EASILY BECOME A BLACK MARK AGAINST THOSE CONCERNED AND THIS WOULD LIKELY CREATE DIFFICULTIES FOR THEM WHEN TRAVELLING TO OTHER COUNTRIES. THERE WAS ALSO THE QUESTION OF RETURNING THOSE WHO WERE REFUSED ENTRY TO THE LAST POINT OF DEPARTURE. HE FELT THAT SOME FLEXIBILITY SHOULD BE EXERCISED AND THAT THOSE WHO HAD BEEN REFUSED ENTRY SHOULD BE GIVEN THE OPTION OF RETURNING TO HONG KONG DIRECT. HE ADDED THAT WHEN HONG KONG RESIDENTS EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTIES AT UK POINTS OF ENTRY, THEY SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO CONTACT THEIR FRIENDS OR RELATIVES IN UK FOR ASSISTANCE HE SAID THAT THE OMELCO WAS UNANIMOUS IN SUPPORTING THE ABOVE POINTS AND HOPED THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE COULD LEND HIS ASSISTANCE IN RESOLVING THEM.
11. MR MARTIN LEE SAID THAT IN MOST OF THE REFUSAL CASES, THE IMMIGRATION OFFICERS APPEARED TO HAVE BASED THEIR JUDGEMENT ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT HONG KONG TRAVELLERS CONCERNED WOULD OVERSTAY. HE ASKED THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION REGARDING THE NUMBER OF CASES IN WHICH HONG KONG TRAVELLERS HAD BEEN FOUND OVERSTAYING IN UK.
12. THE SECRETARY OF STATE SAID IN REPLY THAT THERE WAS NO QUESTION OF UK DISCRIMINATION AGAINST HONG KONG PEOPLE HOLDING BDTC OR BN (0) PASSPORTS. THE TASKS AT IMMIGRATION CONTROL POINTS WERE CERTAINLY NOT EASY AND IT SHOULD BE APPRECIATED THAT THE UNITED KINGDOM, JUST LIKE OTHER COUNTRIES, HAD TO OPERATE A SYSTEM OF IMMIGRATION CONTROL HE SAID THAT THERE WERE ADEQUATE CHANNELS AVAILABLE FOR THOSE WHO HAD BEEN REFUSED ENTRY TO APPEAL AND IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT SUCH APPEALS BE THOROUGHLY INVESTIGATED. HAVING SAID THIS, HE WOULD NONETHE LESS TAKE THE MATTER UP WITH THE HOME OFFICE ON HIS RETURN AND FOLLOWE UP THE SPECIFIC COMPLAINTS MADE. HE ADDED THAT HE WOULD DISCUSS WITH THE HOME OFFICE WHAT LESSONS COULD BE LEARNT AND HOW THE GENERAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR HONG KONG TRAVELLERS COULD BE IMPROVED.
DEFENCE COST AGREEMENT
13. MR MARTIN LEE SAID THAT AS THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION
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