CONFIDENTIAL
4. WHEN THE POLITICAL ADVISER WAS IN CANTON THIS MORNING
HE WAS TOLD THAT THE PROVINCIAL REVOLUTIONARY COMMITTEE HAD
RECENTLY BEEN DISCUSSING THE QUESTION OF LONGER TERM MEASURES TO
DEAL WITH ILLEGAL EMIGRATION, INCLUDING THE NEED TO FIND THE RIGHT BALANCE BETWEEN LIGHT AND HARSH PUNISHMENT. HE COMMENTED THAT, WHILE PRESENT MEASURES WERE CLEARLY NOT EFFECTIVE, THE CHINESE WOULD KNOW FROM THE 1974 DISCUSSIONS ON RETURNING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS THAT PUNISHMENTS WHICH WERE SEEN AS BEING
UNNATURALLY HARSH WOULD ALSO CREATE PROBLEMS FOR US. THE
FOREIGN AFFAIRS OFFICIAL CONCERNED SAID HE APPRECIATED THE PROBLEM:
THEY INTENDED TO ADOPT A MIDDLE COURSE.
5. THE P A WAS ALSO TOLD ( WRONGLY) THAT THE NUMBER OF ILLEGAL EMIGRANTS WAS DECREASING. WE HAVE SINCE ASKED THE NCNA TO
ENSURE THAT CANTON IS FULLY AWARE OF THE CORRECT FIGURES AS IN
PARA 1.
CATER
FILES HR&JLD
FED
Pús
OID NEWS D PS/MR BLAKER MA CORTAZZI
MR MURRAY
COPIES TO:
HONG KONG GOV: OFFICE.
LONDON.
9
CONFIDENTIAL
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.