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030554
MDHIAN 1413
06 AUG 1990 TOP COPY
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
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FM WASHINGTON
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1827
OF 040059Z AUGUST 90
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
INFO ROUTINE HKGO LONDON, BTC HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
(317
HKGO LONDON PERSONAL FOR YAXLEY
HONG KONG TELNO 2421: INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT FOR HONG KONG SUMMARY
1.
MORRISON IMMIGRATION BILL APPROVED BY HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE. CONTAINS HELPFUL PROVISIONS AFFECTING HONG KONG. THE BILL WILL NOW GO TO THE FLOOR OF THE HOUSE (POSSIBLY IN SEPTEMBER). IF ADOPTED IT WILL NEED TO BE RECONCILED WITH THE SENATE VERSION. IT IS UNLIKELY THE BILL WILL SURVIVE IN ITS CURRENT FORM, BUT THERE IS CLEAR SYMPATHY ON THE HILL FOR HONG KONG.
DETAIL
2.
WE HAVE ALREADY REPORTED EARLIER STAGES OF THE MORRISON IMMIGRATION BILL (EG OUR TELNO 782).
3.
ON 1 AUGUST, AFTER A TWO-DAY HEARING, THE HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE MARKED UP THE BILL BY A MAJORITY OF 23-12. AS REPORTED IN PARA 3 OF TUR, THE BILL'S HONG KONG RELATED PROVISIONS ARE:
(I) TO INCREASE THE ANNUAL QUOTA OF VISAS TO HONG KONG TO 20,000: (II)
TO ENABLE THOSE GRANTED VISAS TO HOLD THEM UNTIL THE YEAR 2002 (SUBJECT TO THEIR PROVING THAT THEY REMAIN ELIGIBLE):
(III) TO PROVIDE 15,000 ADDITIONAL VISAS TO BE ISSUED OVER THE PERIOD 1992-3 FOR EMPLOYEES OF US FIRMS IN HONG KONG. THOSE AWARDED SUCH VISAS WOULD ALSO BE ABLE TO HOLD THEM UNTIL THE YEAR 2002.
.
THE FIRST TWO PROVISIONS WERE FORESHADOWED IN OUR TELNO 782. THE THIRD WAS INTRODUCED BY MORRISON INTO THE VERSION PRESENTED TO THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE TO REFLECT CONCERN EXPRESSED BY MEMBERS OF MORRISON'S IMMIGRATION SUBCOMMITTEE AT EARLIER STAGES (OUR TELNO 782).
5. THE NEXT STAGE IS FOR THE BILL TO BE DEBATED ON THE FLOOR OF THE HOUSE (POSSIBLY IN THE SECOND OR THIRD WEEK OF SEPTEMBER ALTHOUGH THE TIMETABLE SO FAR HAS BEEN VERY DIFFICULT TO PREDICT). IT IS UNLIKELY THAT THERE WILL BE ANY FURTHER
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