GR 516
CONFIDENTAL
Dark july!.
also ar
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 180548Z OCT 79
Ике ouoli RELÂVLU A APLIKIMO. ST 18 OCT 1979
De sk INDIR
по
TO IMMEDIATE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE TELNO.1451 OF 18 OCTOBER,
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING,
1.
ROUTINE : HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE LONDON.
MY TELNO.1403 : IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA,
AF ORY
Action Taken
See (235
WE HAVE CONSIDERED FURTHER METHODS AND CONSEQUENCES OF
ALTHOUGH IMPOSING UNILATERAL CONTROLS ON LEGAL IMMIGRATION.
SUCH A STEP MAY TURN OUT TO BE OUR ONLY OPTION, I DO NOT THINK THAT WE SHOULD TAKE ANY DECISION ON SUCH A SERIOUS MOVE UNTIL AFTER WE HAVE SEEN WHAT HUA AND HIS PARTY SAY IN LONDON. WILL NOT THEREFORE GO INTO FURTHER DETAIL AT THIS STAGE.
2.
MEANWHILE, WE HAVE ALSO CONSIDERED WHAT MORE COULD BE DONE, SHORT OF THREATENING CONTROLS, TO BRING HOME TO THE CHINESE THAT THE PROBLEM IS SERIOUS AND IMPLY TO THEM THAT WE ARE CONTEMPLATING SOMETHING MORE DRASTIC.
3. ONE RELATIVELY SIMPLE MEASURE IS TO SEPARATE AT THE BORDER BRIDGE NEW ARRIVALS FROM CHINA WITHOUT ONWARD DOCUMENTATION (THE PROBLEM CATEGORY) FROM OTHER TRAVELLERS. THIS COULD BE DONE BY POSTING IMMIGRATION OFFICERS CLOSE TO THE BORDER LINE, CHECKING DOCUMENTATION THERE AND DIVIDING PASSENGERS INTO TWO STREAMS SEMI-COLON ADDITIONAL POLICE WOULD ALSO BE DEPLOYED ON THE BRIDGE TO HELP WITH CORRALING. TAKING SUCH ACTION WOULD
EMPHASISE OUR INTEREST IN ONE PARTICULAR GROUP OF PASSENGERS AND PROVIDE SOME, ALBEIT LIMITED, SCOPE FOR ESCALATED MEASURES AGAINST THAT GROUP, E.G BY DELAYING PROCESSING UNTIL OTHER PASSENGERS ARE DEALT WITH OR ATTEMPTING TO REJECT SOME CONN THE GROUNDS OF INSUFFICIENT DOCUMENTATION. SUCH A SEPARATION OF SHEEP AND GOATS WOULD ALSO, INCIDENTALLY, BE AN ESSENTIAL FIRST STEP TO UNILATERAL CONTROLS IF IT HAS TO COME TO THAT.
CONFIDENTAL
14. WE CAN
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.