TNAG-0801-FCO40-1005-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 190

Mr Quantrill

Mr Stewart

wart

CONFIDENTIAL

Dft to issue

HONG KONG: ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

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Lord Goronwy-Roberts' office have asked us to follow up one point outstanding from Lord Goronwy's meeting with Mr John Roper MP and Colonel Montgomery of the Anti-Slavery Society, at which the repatriation of illegal immigrants from China was discussed.

2. At the meeting Mr Roper asked whether legal advice was available to the illegal immigrants during interviews and Lord Goronwy-Roberts undertook then, and in letters to both men, to raise this point with the Governor. No opportunity for this presented itself at their meeting shortly before Christmas.

3. I would suggest that when writing we assure the Governor that reports in the Hong Kong press, in particular the "South China Morning Post" (which was the subject of a note from David Wilson) were incorrect; Lord Goronwy-Roberts did not give any assurance that legal assistance would be provided; he simply undertook to raise this question with the Governor. The error lies not with the press but with Colonel Montgomery. He was questioned by a Reuters correspondent to whom he gave a rather full account of his version of the discussions, which does not accord with our own. I have written to Colonel Montgomery and made our position clear.

4.

I attach a draft letter to the Governor from Mr Stewart.

CODE 18-77

$S 10/76

5 January 1978

ергии

Thompson

Hong Kong & General Department K 245

233 4377

I think we may be chasing something of ured herring over this: by definition, illegal immigrants can have few legal rights, and providing them with legal and would be an expensive irrelevance. What is really needed is someone to hold the's hand, to give them comfort and confidence, so that if they do

so have grounds for staying there is a better chance of this emerging diving the screening process. But this is much casiv sand them done: I have therefore expanded the draft some what to show that we appreciate this!

CONFIDENTIAL

W. Chantill

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