CONFIDENTIAL
104244
MDHOAN 539
ADMINISTRATION ON DETAILS OF POSSIBLE IMMIGRATION SCHEMES WHICH MIGHT SERVE AS A MODEL FOR SIMILAR MEASURES IN THE US. IN DUE COURSE WE WILL NEED TO CONSIDER WHETHER THE PRIME MINISTER SHOULD BE BRIEFED TO RAISE THIS ISSUE WITH PRESIDENT BUSH IN MAY.
5 FOR CANBERRA: GRATEFUL TO KNOW HOW MANY HONG KONG PEOPLE HAVE MADE USE OF THE PROVISIONS UNDER EXISTING ARRANGEMENTS WHICH ALLOW FOR POSTPONEMENT OF SETTLEMENT FOR UP TO EIGHT YEARS (CANBERRA TELNO 256). IS THERE ANY SCOPE FOR MAKING GREATER USE OF THESE PROVISIONS FOR EMPLOYEES OF AUSTRALIAN COMPANIES QUERY WOULD THE AUSTRALIANS HAVE ANY OBJECTION IF WE REFERRED TO THESE PROVISIONS AS AN ILLUSTRATION OF THE POSSIBILITIES WHICH EXIST UNDER EXISTING ARRANGEMENTS QUERY SEE ALSO PARA 11 BELOW.
6 FOR BRUSSELS WHEN DO THE BELGIANS PROPOSE TO INTRODUCE THEIR NEW SCHEME TO GIVE RESIDENCE PERMITS TO THE EMPLOYEES OF BELGIAN COMPANIES IN HONG KONG QUERY WILL THE SCHEME BE PUBLICLY ANNOUNCED QUERY
7. FOR OTTAWA: GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS ABOUT THE RETURNING RESIDENT SCHEME THE EXTENT TO WHICH IT IS BEING USED AT THE MOMENT BY HONG KONG PEOPLE AND WHETHER THIS IS SOMETHING WHICH COULD BE EXTENDED FURTHER. SEE ALSO PARA 11 BELOW.
8.
FOR PARIS: GRATEFUL TO KNOW WHETHER THERE HAS BEEN ANY CHANGE IN THE FRENCH POSITION ON PUBLICITY. IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL IF WE COULD MAKE SOME PUBLIC REFERENCE TO THE FRENCH SCHEME GOING BEYOND THE FORMULATION SUGGESTED BY LACOMBE (PARIS TELNO 248).
9.
FOR COPENHAGEN: THE HOME SECRETARY RAISED THIS PROBLEM WITH THE DANISH MINISTER OF JUSTICE ON 12 MARCH. ENGELL SAID THAT THE DANISH GOVERNMENT WAS LOOKING AT WAYS OF HELPING EMPLOYEES OF DANISH FIRMS IN HONG KONG. GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD CONTINUE TO PRESS.
10. GRATEFUL IF OTHER ACTION ADDRESSEES COULD ALSO APPROACH THEIR HOST GOVERNMENTS AGAIN AT A VERY SENIOR LEVEL
TO MAINTAIN THE IMPETUS OF OUR EARLIER
APPROACHES AND TO IMPRESS ON THEM THAT WE REGARD THE SUPPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IN THIS AREA A CRUCIAL FACTOR IN
PROMOTING CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG