CONFIDENTIAL
FM WASHINGTON
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 366
OF 13005OZ FEBRUARY 90
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG
CONFIDENTIAL
нко 340
63
134365
MDLIAN 7982
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
TOD2 COBY Q DIST 7
YOUR TELNO 280: HONG KONG:
HONG KONG: INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT
SUMMARY
REGISTRY
1. ACTION ON HONG KONG HAS MOVED AWAY FROM SOLARZ'S COMMITTEE. BUT WE WILL REGISTER OUR VIEWS WITH THE IMMIGRATION COMMITTEE, AND OTHERS AS NECESSARY. A BACKBENCH MP COULD POSSIBLY PLAY A
USEFUL ROLE.
DETAIL
2. IT IS NOT CLEAR WHEN, IF AT ALL, THE EAST ASIA AND PACIFIC SUBCOMMITTEE WILL REVERT TO THE ISSUE OF HONG KONG IMMIGRATION. AS REPORTED BY BAG, THE RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE SUBCOMMITTEE IN NOVEMBER WAS MARKED UP TO THE FULL FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE BY THE INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC POLICY AND TRADE SUBCOMMITTEE ON 5 FEBRUARY. TWO OTHER SUBCOMMITTEES (EUROPE AND THE MIDDLE EAST, AND HUMAN RIGHTS) ALSO NEED TO MARK UP THE RESOLUTION BEFORE THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE CAN SEND IT TO THE FLOOR OF THE HOUSE. IT IS DIFFICULT TO PREDICT THE EXACT TIMETABLE: OUR CONTACTS ON
THE HILL BELIEVE IT POSSIBLE FOR THE RESOLUTION TO REACH THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE IN THE WEEK BEGINNING 26 FEBRUARY. ANY RATE THEY CONFIDENTLY EXPECT IT TO BE ON THE FLOOR OF THE HOUSE BEFORE THE END OF MARCH. WE WILL KEEP IN TOUCH WITH CONGRESSIONAL STAFFERS WITH A VIEW TO DECIDING WHEN IT MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE FOR A LETTER SETTING OUT OUR GENERAL APPROACH TO BE SENT. TO JUDGE BY THE INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC POLICY AND TRADE SUBCOMMITTEE MARK-UP, IT IS UNLIKELY THAT ANY OF THE MARK-UP SESSIONS WILL PROVOKE DEBATE. SOLARZ'S STAFFERS CERTAINLY DO NOT
EXPECT IT.
3.
AT
MEANWHILE THE HOUSE IMMIGRATION, REFUGEES AND INTERNATIONAL LAW SUBCOMMITTEE IS DUE TO HOLD HEARINGS ON A NEW IMMIGRATION BILL ON 21 FEBRUARY AND 1 MARCH. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE BILL, WHICH IS STILL BEING FINALISED, COVERS A WIDE RANGE OF IMMIGRATION ISSUES INCLUDING A PROPOSAL TO INCREASE THE ANNUAL IMMIGRATION QUOTA FOR HONG KONG TO 20,000 BY TREATING IT AS A SEPARATE STATE RATHER THAN A DEPENDENT TERRITORY. SOLARZ IS HOPING TO TESTIFY AT THE HEARINGS TO PRESENT THE CASE FOR A HONG
1
PAGE CONFIDENTIAL