TNAG-2179-FCO40-3116-Hong-Kong-nationality-international-support-1990 — Page 101

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COPIED TO: DEPUTY POLITICAL ADVISER, HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT FOR HONG KONG

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1.

I OWE YOU AN ACCOUNT OF WHERE MATTERS STAND ON US THINKING

AS YOU KNOW, ON SPECIAL IMMIGRATION ARRANGEMENTS FOR HONG KONG. CONGRESS IS GRAPPLING WITH ATTEMPTS TO TRY TO REFORM US IMMIGRATION LAWS. THE KENNEDY/SIMPSON BILL ADOPTED IN THE SENATE LAST YEAR WOULD REPLACE THE CURRENT SYSTEM WHICH IS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF FAMILY REUNIFICATION, WITH A SYSTEM DESIGNED TO ENSURE THAT THE US ADMITS A LARGER NUMBER OF PEOPLE ON GROUNDS OF SKILLS ETC. IN THE HOUSE, THE IMMIGRATION SUBCOMMITTEE HAS BEEN HOLDING HEARINGS ON CONGRESSMAN MORRISON'S DRAFT BILL, WHICH ALSO EMPHASISES IMMIGRANTS' EDUCATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL SKILLS AND LINKS THEM TO US LABOUR SHORTAGES. THE AMBASSADOR, AND CONGRESS- MAN SOLARZ, WROTE TO MORRISON AT THE TIME OF THE FIRST HEARING ON 21 FEBRUARY EXPRESSING CONCERN ABOUT THE NEED FOR IMMIGRATION ARRANGEMENTS WHICH WOULD BOOST CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG, AND, IN THE AMBASSADOR'S CASE, DRAWING ATTENTION TO THE PROPOSED UK SCHME. THIS ISSUE HAS NOT, HOWEVER, SO FAR BEEN RAISED IN THE

BUT TWO SUBCOMMITTEE HEARINGS CON 21 FEBRUARY, AND ON 7 MARCH). THE MORRISON DRAFT DOES, PROPOSE TREATING HONG KONG AS A SEPARATE FOREIGN STATE RATHER THAN A DEPENDENT TERRITORY, AND THEREBY INCREASING THE ANNUAL QUOTA OF HONG KONG IMMIGRANTS TO 20,000.

2.

MEANWHILE, THE ADMINISTRATION IS WORKING ON ITS RESPONSE TO SOLARZ'S EARLIER RESOLUTION, AND TO OUR LOBBYING AND THAT OF DON

THE ANDERSON, THE US CONSUL GENERAL IN HONG KONG. (ON THE FORMER, ADMINISTRATION, WHO HAVE SHOWN A DRAFT RESPONSE TO SOLARZ'S OFFICE, APPARENTLY INTEND TO EXPRESS THEIR MISGIVINGS ABOUT AN

THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE, AND A MULTILATERAL INITIATIVE. ADMINISTRATION CERTAINLY SEEM PREPARED TO MAKE SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE EMPLOYEES OF THE US CONSULATE IN HONG KONG. ENGAGED EMPLOYEES OF OVERSEAS US MISSIONS WITH A REASONABLE LENGTH OF SERVICE ARE USUALLY OFFERED PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT IF THEY WISH TO EMIGRATE TO THE US. IN THE CASE OF HONG KONG, THE US INTENDS TO

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