CONFIDENTIAL
FM WASHINGTON
TO DESKBY 080730 FCO
TELNO 1057
OF 042315Z MAY 90
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG
CONFIDENTIAL
1273
066247
MDHIAN 9375
Top 3 49/1 Ако
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
0 8 MAY 1990
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
REGI
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Acton Taken
YOUR TELNO 763: HONG KONG IMMIGRATION
1.
WE HAVE DISCUSSED WITH STATE DEPARTMENT THE POINTS RAISED IN YOUR TUR. IN SHORT, STATE SAID THAT, WHILE THE BENEFITS CONFERRED BY THE MORRISON BILL AND FRANK AMENDMENT WERE LIMITED, THEY WERE THE BEST MEANS THAT ANYONE HAS YET COME UP WITH TO PROVIDE GREATER ASSURANCE FOR THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG THROUGH THE US IMMIGRATION SYSTEM.
2.
ON THE MORRISON BILL, STATE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT AN INCREASE IN THE ANNUAL QUOTA FOR HONG KONG FROM 5,000 TO 20,000 WOULD HAVE THE IMMEDIATE EFFECT OF CREATING A SURGE IN IMMIGRATION, AS THE BACKLOG OF APPLICATIONS TO JOIN RELATIVES (NOW RUNNING AT ABOUT 10 YEARS) WAS WORKED OFF. BUT THE EFFECT OVER THE MEDIUM TERM, WHEN TAKEN IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE FRANK AMENDMENT, SHOULD BE TO PROVIDE SOME HONG KONGERS WITH AN ALTERNATIVE OPTION, AND THUS THE CONFIDENCE TO STAY LONGER.
3. ON THE FRANK AMENDMENT, STATE ACCEPTED THE REASONING IN THE FIRST PART OF YOUR PARA 4. BUT THEY THOUGHT THE BENEFIT COULD BE MORE THAN SLIGHT. AT PRESENT, THE VISA APPLICATION PROCESS TAKES UP TO A YEAR, WHICH TENDS TO ENCOURAGE THOSE WHO REACH THE TOP OF THE LIST TO APPLY FOR A VISA AND EMIGRATE RATHER THAN SIT ON THEIR ENTITLEMENT. THE FRANK AMENDMENT WOULD OFFER THEM THE SECURITY OF A VISA IN THEIR POCKET WITHOUT HAVING TO COMMIT THEMSELVES TO IMMEDIATE EMIGRATION. 4.
STATE ACCEPTED THAT THE FRANK AMENDMENT WOULD MAKE LITTLE DIFFERENCE TO THE POSITION OF THOSE APPLYING TO ENTER THE US ON THE BASIS OF A JOB OFFER, SINCE THEIR POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS WOULD BE MOST UNLIKELY TO HOLD A JOB FOR THEM INDEFINITELY. BUT THEY THOUGHT IT WOULD IMPROVE THE POSITION OF EMPLOYEES OF US FIRMS WHICH WERE DOING BUSINESS IN HONG KONG. THESE EMPLOYEES COULD APPLY FOR US VISAS WITH THEIR EMPLOYER STANDING AS BENEFICIARY. WITH THE SECURITY OF A VISA THEY WOULD BE MORE LIKELY TO STAY IN HONG KONG.
5. ON THE POINT IN YOUR PARA 2, STATE THOUGHT IT MOST UNLIKELY THAT CONGRESS WOULD CONSIDER IT HAD DONE ENOUGH FOR HONG KONG BY PASSING THE MORRISON BILL. THERE WAS A GROUP WITHIN
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