UNCLASSIFIED
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 200900Z FCO
TELNO 3538
OF 19170OZ SEPTEMBER 87
AND TO DESKBY
200100Z
MANILA
AND TO DESKBY 21010OZ PEKING
UNCLASSIFIED
100361
MDHIAN 3699
TOP COPY a DIST ?
PART TWO OF FOUR
Q
·
(AGNES LAM, HONG KONG STANDARD): I WANT TO GO BACK TO THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES. THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AD HOC GROUP HAS SUGGESTED THE BRITISH TO GIVE THEM MORE FREEDOM TO DISCUSS THE MATTER WITH OTHER FIRST ASYLUM COUNTRIES, SO DO YOU THINK THAT THIS IS FEASIBLE?
IF I HAVE GOT YOUR QUESTION RIGHT YOU ARE ASKING WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN ENCOURAGE OTHER COUNTRIES TO ACCEPT VIETNAMESE REFUGEES?
A.
Q.
A:
(AGNES LAM, HONG KONG STANDARD):
NO,
NO.
OH, THE LEGCO, I SEE. OH SORRY, I MISUNDERSTOOD YOUR QUESTION. WELL, IF THEY WISH TO DO SO ANYBODY CAN VISIT HANOI AS FAR AS I KNOW, PROVIDING OF COURSE THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO OBTAIN A VISA TO DO SO. I THINK THOSE CONCERNED HAVE TO ASK THEMSELVES, IF THEY DO, TWO THINGS SEMI-COLON FIRST OF ALL, WOULD THE VIETNAMESE AGREE TO IT AND SECONDLY, IF THEY DID, WOULD IT ACTUALLY ACHIEVE WHAT THEY WANTED TO ACHIEVE. I AM NOT SURE NECESSARILY IT WOULD ACHIEVE THE DESIRED RESULTS. I THINK IT IS MORE IMPORTANT TO CONCENTRATE ON THE WAY I HAVE DESCRIBED IN APPLYING CONTINUING PRESSURE ON THE VIETNAMESE IN ALL THE FORA THAT WE CAN DO SO TO TRY TO ACHIEVE THE RESULT THAT YOU WANT.
Q.
(AGNES LAM, HONG KONG STANDARD): I AM SORRY, MY QUESTION IS, THEY SUGGESTED THE BRITISH TO GIVE THEM MORE FREEDOM TO DISCUSS THE MATTER WITH OTHER FIRST ASYLUM COUNTRIES, NOT VIETNAM.
A.
OH, I SEE.
(AGNES LAM, HONG KONG STANDARD): SO I JUST WANT TO ASK WHETHER IT IS FEASIBLE FOR THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO GIVE HONG KONG
GOVERNMENT THE FREEDOM TO DO THAT.
Q.