CONFIDENTIAL
043710 MDTTAN 5113
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GUARANTEE THAT RESETTLEMENT PLACES WILL BE AVAILABLE WHENEVER THEIR EMPLOYEES CHOOSE TO TAKE THEM UP.
3.
IN PRINCIPLE THE ADMINISTRATION IS SYMPATHETIC TO OUR WIDER OBJECTIVES. TESTIFYING RECENTLY BEFORE THE IMMIGRATION SUBCOMMITTEE, LYMAN (REFUGEE PROGRAMMES BUREAU) SAID THE US OBJECTIVE WAS TO ENCOURAGE HONG KONG RESIDENTS TO REMAIN IN HONG KONG.
(THE ADMINISTRATION, INCIDENTALLY, IS CAUTIOUS ABOUT AGREEING TO DOUBLE THE ANNUAL QUOTA FOR HONG KONG AS PREPARED BY MORRISON, IN PART, AT LEAST BECAUSE THIS MIGHT EXACERBATE THE EXODUS.) THE ADMINISTRATION ALSO HAS A BILL (DERIVING FROM CONCERN LAST YEAR ABOUT SOVIET JEWS) WHICH WOULD CREATE A NEW CATEGORY OF SPECIAL IMMIGRATION FOR APPLICANTS IN WHOM THE US HAS A SPECIAL HUMANITARIAN INTEREST. LYMAN SUGGESTED THIS MIGHT BE USED TO ADMIT HONG KONG RESIDENTS, IN EXTREMIS. BUT ACCORDING TO MATT DALEY (DICK SOLOMON'S SPECIAL ASSISTANT), THERE IS RESISTANCE WITHIN THE ADMINISTRATION TO PROVIDING SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR HONG KONG. AND OTHER STATE DEPARTMENT CONTACTS HAVE POINTED OUT THAT IF THE US MADE SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR EMPLOYEES OF AMERICAN FIRMS IN HONG KONG, THEY MIGHT FIND THEMSELVES HAVING TO COPE WITH AN INFLUX OF 150,000 TO 200,000 (ALTHOUGH THE AMERICAN HONG KONG CHAMBER OF COMMERCE INTEND TO PRESENT THEIR OWN SCHEME TO THE ADMINISTRATION IN MAY). THERE IS ALSO A WORRY THAT IF SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS ARE MADE FOR HONG KONG PRESSURE WILL BUILD FOR THESE TO BE EXTENDED TO OTHER AREAS.
AS YOU KNOW, SOLARZ HAS PROPOSED THAT THOSE WHO QUALIFY FOR US IMMIGRANT STATUS BE ALLOWED TO RETAIN THEIR ELIGIBILITY UNTIL AFTER 1997. HE INTENDS TO PROPOSE THIS AS AN AMENDMENT TO THE MORRISON BILL. BARBARA EUSER (STATE DEPARTMENT DESK OFFICER FOR HONG KONG) WITH WHOM I DISCUSSED THIS ON 7 MARCH, SAID THAT IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION TO CONSIDER LEGISLATION WHICH PROVIDED FOR SUCH ARRANGEMENTS IN CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE THE PRESIDENT HAD DESIGNATED PARTICULAR AREAS AS BEING AT SPECIAL RISK. BUT SHE EMPHASISED THAT STATE DEPARTMENT THINKING WAS AT A VERY PRELIMINARY STAGE.
5. BARBARA EUSER RAISED ONE POINT WHICH SHE SAID WAS OF CONCERN TO THE ADMINISTRATION, NAMELY THAT THERE WAS NO GUARANTEE THAT THE CHINESE WOULD ALLOW DUAL PASSPORT HOLDERS TO LEAVE HONG KONG. IN EFFECT, THEY WOULD INSIST THAT DUAL PASSPORT HOLDERS NEEDED TO PRODUCE THEIR CHINESE PASSPORT ON ENTERING OR TRYING TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY. THIS, SHE POINTED OUT, WOULD BE ENTIRELY IN CONFORMITY WITH THE US (AND SHE SUSPECTED WIDER INTERNATIONAL) PRACTICE IN RESPECT OF DUAL PASSPORT HOLDERS. MOREOVER, THE CHINESE MIGHT NOT ALLOW THOSE WHO RENOUNCED CHINESE CITIZENSHIP TO WORK IN THE HONG KONG ADMINISTRATION. WHETHER OR
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