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MDLIAN 7982
KONG SAFETY NET. WE WILL ENSURE THAT OUR GENERAL APPROACH TO THE PROBLEM, AND ANY SPECIFIC INFORMATION WHICH MIGHT BE USEFUL, IS ALSO FED IN.
4.
DEPENDING ON HOW THE DEBATE DEVELOPS HERE, THERE MIGHT BE MERIT IN A UK OFFICIAL INFORMALLY BRIEFING KEY CONGRESSMEN CAND
PERHAPS EVEN THE ADMINISTRATION) ON DETAILS OF POSSIBLE IMMIGRATION SCHEMES WHICH MIGHT BE USED AS A MODEL FOR SIMILAR MEASURES IN THE US. BUT GIVEN THE UNCERTAINTIES OVER TIMING, AND THE NEED TO COVER A NUMBER OF AUDIENCES, IT MIGHT BE BEST IF WE UNDERTOOK THE LOBBYING OURSELVES, USING WHATEVER INFORMATION YOU
CAN PROVIDE.
4. THERE MIGHT ALSO BE MERIT IN TRYING TO ARRANGE FOR A BACKBENCH MP TO TESTIFY, OR TO PARTICIPATE IN AN INFORMAL BRIEFING, PARTICULARLY IF THE MP HAD SOME SPECIFIC EXPERTISE IN HONG KONG. ON THE WHOLE, WE RECOMMEND THE SECOND OPTION OF INFORMAL BRIEFING:
(A) BECAUSE FORMAL TESTIMONY WOULD ESTABLISH A PRECEDENT WHICH MIGHT RESULT IN PRESSURE ON US TO MAKE SIMILAR ARRANGEMENTS
ON OTHER ISSUES.
(B) BECAUSE CONGRESS AND OTHERS MIGHT FIND IT DIFFICULT TO APPRECIATE THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN A BACKBENCH MP (EG THE
CHAIRMAN OF THE FAC) AND A MEMBER OF THE GOVERNMENT COR AN OFFICIAL) WHEN WE COME TO EXPLAIN WHY THE FORMER COULD GIVE
EVIDENCE AND THE LATTER NOT.
NO DOUBT THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE (DUE HERE ON 18-21 MARCH)
WILL BE BRLEFED TO PRESS THE ARGUMENTS FOR SPECIAL TREAMENT FOR
HONG KONG DURING THEIR VISIT.
ACLAND
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