UNCLASSIFIED
072103 MDLIAN 8998
3,000 APPLICATIONS HAD BEEN PRESENTED TO OFFICIALS IN THE US, WHICH REPRESENTED 25 PERCENT OF THE ANNUAL QUOTA OFFERED. THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF VISA SERVICES, CORNELIUS SCULLY, DESCRIBED THIS AS A COOL RESPONSE, ADDING THAT THE REMAINING QUOTA MIGHT BE SCRAPPED IF THE SITUATION CONTINUED. SOME PAPERS QUOTED THE HEAD OF THE CONSULAR SECTION AT THE US CONSULATE IN HK, RICHARD H. WILLIAMS, AS SAYING THAT THE SITUATION WHERE SOME COMPANIES APPEARED TO BE HOLDING BACK MIGHT BE RELATED TO THE ECONOMIC RECESSION IN THE US AND THAT THEY COULD NOT GUARANTEE HK EMPLOYEES JOBS IN THE US OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS. THE FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN HK, JOHN KAMM, TOLD CRC THAT US EMPLOYERS WERE ONLY ACTING RESPONSIBLY BY SCRUTINISING THE SCHEME BEFORE MAKING APPLICATIONS.
CANADA
15. THE SCM POST REPORTED THAT QUEBEC HAD BEEN GIVEN MORE
AUTHORITY BY THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT TO ATTRACT AND ASSIMILATE
IMMIGRANTS, INCLUDING THOSE FROM HK.
CARRIBBEANS
16. THE SCM POST REPORTED THAT THE COUNTRIES OF THE CARIBBEAN
WERE TRYING TO ESTABLISH THEMSELVES AS VIABLE INVESTMENT HAVENS
FOR IMMIGRANTS FROM HK AND OTHER ASIAN COUNTRIES.
WILSON
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
67
.HK AGREEMENT NATIONALITY
LIMITED
HD/CONSULAR D
HKD
HD/FED
NEWS D
HD /NTCD
PUSD
DISTRIBUTION
78
PS
PS/LORD CAITHNESS
PS/MR LENNOX-BOYD
PS/PUS
MR MCLAREN
MR BLATHERWICK
MR BURNS
ADDITIONAL
11
HK AGREEMENT NATIONALITY
PAGE 5 UNCLASSIFIED
2222