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025062
MDLIAN 1600
THAT A HONG KONG RESIDENT WHO OBTAINED PERMANENT RESIDENCY IN BRITAIN IN 1978 HAD HAD HIS RIGHT OF ENTRY TO THE UK REVOKED BY BRITISH IMMIGRATION OFFICERS AS A RESULT OF THE RECENT CHANGES TO THE IMMIGRATION RULES WHEN HE RETURNED TO THE COUNTRY IN JUNE THIS YEAR. THE PERSON IN QUESTION HAD LODGED A COMPLAINT TO OMELCO. THE OMELCO WORKING GROUP ON NATIONALITY WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE CASE AND WOULD RAISE THE ISSUE WITH LORD CAITHNESS. WHEN ASKED TO COMMENT ON THE REPORTS, LORD CAITHNESS SAID THAT ACCORDING TO PRESENT POLICY, HONG KONG PEOPLE WHO HAD RESIDENCY RIGHTS IN THE UK COULD EXERCISE THEIR RIGHTS IF THEY DID NOT LEAVE UK FOR A PERIOD LONGER THAN TWO YEARS. OTHERWISE, THEY WOULD BE TREATED AS VISITORS. THE REPORTS NOTED THAT LORD CAITHNESS STRESSED THAT THE BRITISH NATIONALITY PACKAGE WOULD NOT BE AFFECTED BY THE RECENTLY AMENDED IMMIGRATION RULES.
9. THE PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN HONG KONG, JOHN KAMM, HAD BEEN ASSURED BY CHINA THAT IT WOULD NOT OPPOSE A U.S. VISA ARRANGEMENT WHICH WOULD HELP TO STEM THE BRAIN DRAIN IN THE TERRITORY, THE MEDIA (18.9) REPORTED. QUOTING A VICE DIRECTOR OF THE HONG KONG AND MACAU AFFAIRS OFFICE, LI HOU, KAMM SAID THAT CHINA HAD ADOPTED A CANDID APPROACH TO THE BRAIN DRAIN PROBLEM. HE SAID HIS IMPRESSION WAS THAT CHINA WOULD NOT OPPOSE PLANS TO PROVIDE SPECIAL VISA ARRANGEMENTS FOR HONG KONG PEOPLE AS LONG AS THEY DID NOT INVOLVE PASSPORTS OBTAINED WITHOUT RESIDENCY.
JLG EXPERT GROUP MEETING
10. THE CONCLUSION OF A TWO-DAY MEETING OF THE EXPERT GROUP OF THE JLG ON DEFENCE AND PUBLIC ORDER WAS REPORTED IN THE MEDIA (13.9), WITH MOST REPORTS PLAYING UP THE POINT THAT IT WAS UNDERSTOOD THAT MAJOR DIFFERENCES OF OPINION REMAINED ON IMPORTANT ISSUES. SOME REPORTS QUOTED SOURCES AS SAYING THAT THE BRITISH SIDE INDICATED AT THE MEETING THAT THE NAVAL BASE AT THE HMS TAMAR WOULD BE MOVED TO STONECUTTERS ISLAND AND HOPED THAT THE CHINESE WOULD AGREE TO KEEP THE STONECUTTERS NAVAL BASE AFTER 1997. HOWEVER, THE CHINESE SIDE DEMANDED THAT THE MILITARY FACILITIES OF THE BRITISH GARRISON REMAINED UNCHANGED SO THAT THESE FACILITIES COULD BE REDEPLOYED BY THE PLA AND THE POLICE AFTER 1997.
11. SPEAKING TO NEWSMEN AFTER THE MEETING, LEADER OF THE BRITISH TEAM, DOUG MARTIN SAID THAT BOTH SIDES HAD A USEFUL MEETING AND WERE NOW CLEARER ABOUT EACH OTHER'S POSITION. HIS COUNTERPART ON THE CHINESE TEAM, WANG JIAJI, SAID THAT THE ISSUES WOULD CONTINUE
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