TNAG-2182-FCO40-3119-Hong-Kong-nationality-international-support-1990 — Page 58

5 SEPTEMBER.

CONFIDENTIAL

171645 MDLIÁN 95 A

5. IN HER MEETING WITH ME, SHE ACCEPTED THAT SOONER OR LATER INVOLUNTARY REPATRIATIONS WOULD HAVE TO START, BUT SAID THAT CANADA HAD FELT WE MUST GIVE VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION A TRY FIRST.

COMMENT

6. OUR IMPRESSION IS THAT THE CANADIANS REMAIN WILLING TO HELP US IN MOVING FROM VOLUNTARY TO MANDATORY REPATRIATION, BUT ARE CONCERNED THAT THIS SHOULD, IF POSSIBLE, BE CONDUCTED WITHIN A FRAMEWORK OF INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT. WE, OF COURSE, HAVE NO DIFFICULTIES WITH THIS CANADIAN POSITION IN PRINCIPLE, AND HOPE THE CANADIANS CAN BE ENCOURAGED TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY THE US, TO ACHIEVE IT. BUT WE HAVE EXPLAINED TO THE MINISTER THAT HONG KONG'S VBP PROBLEM REMAINS A VERY SERIOUS ONE AND THAT AN INTERNATIONAL CONSENSUS WHICH INCLUDES THE AMERICANS MAY NOT IN THE END BE PRACTICABLE.

EMIGRATION

7. IN HER MEETING WITH THE MEDIA, MS MACDOUGALL SAID THAT THE CANADIANS WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO INTRODUCE ANY BRITISH NATIONALITY

PACKAGE TYPE ARRANGEMENTS FOR HONG KONG PEOPLE WORKING IN CANADIAN FIRMS BECAUSE THIS WOULD GO AGAINST THEIR NON- DISCRIMINATORY POLICY (FCO TELEGRAM NO. 491 REFERS). SHE ALSO ANNOUNCED THAT THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT WOULD RAISE THE MINIMUM PREREQUISITE UNDER THE BUSINESS MIGRATION PROGRAMME FROM 1 OCTOBER 1990 AND WOULD EXTEND THE INVESTMENT PERIOD FROM 3 TO 5 YEARS.

8. PRIVATELY MS MACDOUGALL TOLD ME THAT THE CANADIANS WOULD SHORTLY MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT ON THEIR MAJOR REVIEW OF IMMIGRATION

POLICY. SHE EXPECTED IT TO BE RECEIVED POSITIVELY IN HONG KONG. IN RESPONSE TO MY REQUEST FOR MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY IN HANDLING IMMIGRATION FROM HONG KONG SHE SAID THE CANADIANS WERE WILLING TO TRY TO HELP BY BEING FLEXIBLE BUT HAD TO DO THIS THROUGH

PRACTICAL MEASURES RATHER THAN POLICY STATEMENTS.

COMMENT

9. IN CONTRAST TO HER AUSTRALIAN COUNTERPART, WHO WAS COINCIDENTALLY IN HONG KONG AT THE SAME TIME, MS MACDOUGALL HANDLED HERSELF EXTREMELY WELL WITH THE PRESS. NO FOLLOW-UP

REQUIRED.

WILSON