CONFIDENTIAL
025750
MDHIAN 1227
PACKAGE FOR HONG KONG BEING PUT IN PLACE BY 1991-1992 WERE GOOD. HE
THOUGHT THAT INS AND STATE DEPARTMENT WOULD NOT OPPOSE A PACKAGE
CONTAINING THE ELEMENTS IN PARAGRAPH 3 ABOVE. NOR WOULD THE SENATE.
5. THE USCG TENTATIVELY ASSESSED THAT THE NUMBER OF VISA ISSUED
UNDER THE PROPOSED REGIME COULD BE AS HIGH AS 20,000 A YEAR FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS FROM 1992, SETTLING DOWN TO A LESSER FIGURE THEREAFTER.
6. WE TOLD WILLIAMS THAT WE WELCOMED THE EFFORT MADE BY CONGRESS, BUT THE PACKAGE AS PROPOSED CONTAINED A SERIOUS PITFALL. THIS CONCERNED THE DEFERRED DEPARTURE ARRANGEMENT. WHILE WE GENERALLY WELCOMED FLEXIBILITY IN DEPARTURE ARRANGEMENTS OF ANY IMMIGRATION SCHEMES APPLIED TO HONG KONG, THE PROPOSAL FOR A FIXED PERIOD FOR DEFERRED DEPARTURES, EXPIRING ON 1 JANUARY 2002 COULD HAVE VERY SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES. MANY VISA APPLICANTS WHO WERE SUCCESSFUL DURING THE PERIOD 1992-2002, POTENTIALLY AS MANY AS 200,000, COULD BE COMPELLED TO DEPART FOR THE US WITHIN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME IN 2001. THIS WOULD DEAL A SERIOUS BLOW TO THOSE US FIRMS AROUND THAT TIME IF MANY OF THEIR TOP LOCAL EMPLOYEES EMIGRATED
THEN. A ROLLING 10-YEAR PERIOD FOR SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS TO DECIDE WHEN TO LEAVE WOULD BE FAR PREFERABLE. WILLIAMS UNDERTOOK TO CONVEY OUR CONCERN TO WASHINGTON AND TRY TO REFLECT IT IN THE COMING HOUSE
HEARING ON THE BILL.
7. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENT. GRATEFUL IF WASHINGTON COULD
KEEP US POSTED ON PROGRESS OF THIS BILL THROUGHT CONGRESS.
FORD
YYYY
DISTRIBUTION
61
ΜΑΙΝ
57
.HONG KONG AGREEMENT
.(RESTRICTED)
LIMITED
HKD
HD/FED
RAD (FE)
PUSD NEWS D
PS/LORD CAITHNESS
MR MCLAREN
MR BURNS
ADDITIONAL
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