TNAG-2324-FCO40-3368-Hong-Kong-Bill-of-Rights-Vietnamese-boat-people-1991 — Page 32

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY F C O

TELNO 1243

OF 240703Z APRIL 91

(50)

CONFIDENTIAL

(53)

HKC241/4

f

for 2574.

YOUR TELNO 745: VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS:

140121

MDHIAN 3686

TOP COPY O DIST?

IMMIGRATION ORDINANCE

YOU ASKED TO BE FOREWARNED IF OUR LEGISLATIVE TIMETABLE FOR THE IMMIGRATION (AMENDMENT) BILL LOOKED LIKELY TO SLIP. THE BILL HAD ITS FIRST AND SECOND READINGS YESTERDAY, AND THE DEBATE AD JOURNED IN THE USUAL WAY. IT IS HOWEVER NOW CLEAR THAT OMELCO WILL WANT A LITTLE LONGER TO EXAMINE THE BILL. WE ARE THEREFORE NOW HOPING TO RESUME THE DEBATE IN LEGCO, AND FOR THE BILL TO COMPLETE ITS PASSAGE, ON 8 OR 15 MAY. THIS DELAY IS ACCEPTABLE TO US, AND IT WOULD OBVIOUSLY BE COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE TO TRY TO RUSH OMELCO.

2.

THIS WILL IN TURN DELAY OUR SUBSTANTIVE RESPONSE TO YOUR POINT (A) IN TUR. POINTS (B) AND (C) LOOK FINE AND WE WILL PURSUE (A) AS SOON AS WE CAN ONCE THE BILL HAS PASSED.

WILSON

YYYY

MAIN

91

LIMITED

HKD

DISTRIBUTION

91

PS

UND

SEAD

LEGAL ADV

NEWS D

PUSD

RAD

HD/FED

PS/LORD CAITHNESS

PS/MR LENNOX-BOYD

PS/PUS

SIR J COLES

MR BEAMISH

MR SLATER

MR BURNS

NNNN

PAGE 1 CONFIDENTIAL