UNHCR Poul Hartling's Visit to HK
Media Coverage and Comments
Report No. 2
Wednesday, May 15, 1985
The press conference given by the UN High Commissioner for
Refugees Poul Hartling yesterday (14.5) to wind up his three-day visit
here was well covered by the media.
In headlines, several papers highlighted Mr Hartling's remarks that he foresaw an end to the problem of boat people as more VRs were leaving their country through the "orderly departure programme" and that he believed the VRs currently staying in HK might be the last batch HK had to deal with. Other points highlighted in media reports
were that Mr Hartling praised HK for treating the VRs well and he
repeated his appeal to Britain to take the lead in resettling more
VRs.
BBC World Service, Radio 3 and the SCM Post reported that the House of Commons would debate the VR problem in Southeast Asia. The debate was being initiated by Conservative MP Keith Best who had visited the closed camps in HK. Radio 3's London correspondent reported that following the publication of the House of Commons report on VRS in HK, a number of MPs were determined to keep the pressure up to seek the abolition of HK's closed camp policy and the launching of international initiative to resettle VRS in HK.
Several papers also reported that six Legco members would speak at an adjournment debate today (15.5) on the VR problem.
Press Comments
Two Chinese-language papers commented on the VR problem. Sing Pao warned that HK, given its limited resources, would be thrown into chaos if it accepted all refugees who came its way. Defending HK's closed camp policy, the paper maintained that it was unfair and irresponsible for some quarters to criticise HK for failing to resettle VRs here. "The UNHCR should take up the responsibility to ask countries which have abundant land and natural resources but have labour shortage to
accept more VRs. What is more important is that the UNHCR should draw