CONFIDENTIAL
FM OTTAWA
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 087
OF 06210OZ
FEBRUARY
AND TO PRIORITY
90
HONG KONG
(50)
CONFIDENTIAL
113100
MDLIAN 6362
ико
34011
RECEIVED IN REGIST TOP COPY
24FEB 1900 DIST?
DESK OFFICER
REGISTRY Action Taken
INDEX
(PERSONAL
OUR TELNOS 31 AND 73 AND FCO TELNO 71:
INTERNATONAL SUPPORT FOR HONG KONG
1. WE UNDERSTAND THAT MRS MCCLOSKEY (DEA) WHO IS CURRENTLY EN ROUTE TO PEKING, IS SCHEDULED TO RETURN TO HONG KONG FOR DEBRIEFING ON 8 FEBRUARY. IF HONG KONG HAVE NOT ALREADY DONE SO, WE SUGGEST IT WOULD BE WORTH ATTEMPTING TO EXPLORE FULLY WITH MRS MCCLOSKEY THE FULL POTENTIAL OF THE QUOTE RETURNING RESIDENT SCHEME UNQUOTE WHEREBY HONG KONG PEOPLE ARRIVE IN CANADA, QUICKLY ACQUIRE LANDED IMMIGRANT STATUS AND THEN, BY STATING A REASONABLE CASE, GET PERMISSION TO MOVE BACK TO HONG KONG TO TAKE UP AGAIN THEIR REGULAR JOB. THE SCHEME WAS
BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION RECENTLY AS AN EXAMPLE OF A WAY IN WHICH THE CANADIANS WERE ALREADY OPERATING TO OUR ADVANTAGE COUR TELNO 31 TO FCO). THE CANADIAN HIGH COMMISSIONER ALSO ALLUDED TO THE SCHEME IN
HIS CALL AT THE FCO ON 1 FEBRUARY (FCO TELNO 71).
2.
A CONTACT HERE HAS TOLD US THAT THE SCHEME HAS BEEN USED
SPARINGLY HITHERTO. IT MIGHT BE WORTH ASKING MRS MCCLOSKEY ABOUT THE
PROSPECTS FOR MAKING WIDER USE OF IT TO SUPPORT OUR OBJECTIVE OF
KEEPING KEY PEOPLE IN HONG KONG. COULD THE SCHEME BE PUBLICISED MORE
WIDELY IN HONG KONG ? ARE THERE DRAWBACKS TO IT FROM OUR POINT OF
VIEW ?
FALL
YYYY
MAIN
59
.HONG KONG AGREEMENT
.(RESTRICTED)
LIMITED
HKD
HD/FED
DISTRIBUTION
62
PAGE
NEWS D
PS/MR MAUDE
PS/LORD BRABAZON
MR GILLMORE
MR MCLAREN
1
CONFIDENTIAL