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100364 MDHIAN 3701

BUT OUR COMMITMENT TO THE

TERRITORY OF HONG KONG AND

REMAINS A KEY PART OF OUR FOREIGN POLICY AND IT WILL

BE SO.

Q.

-

-

TO ITS PEOPLE

CONTINUE TO

(ROBIN MACPHERSON, AFP): COULD YOU REPEAT AGAIN I KNOW YOU ADDRESSED IT EARLIER JUST REPEAT AGAIN, WHAT IS IT EXACTLY YOU ASKED THE AMBASSADOR TO HANOI TO BRING UP WITH THE VIETNAMESE

AGAIN?

A:

WHAT I ASKED OUR AMBASSADOR, THE BRITISH AMBASSADOR TO HANOI, TO DO IS TO MAKE A FURTHER APPROACH TO THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT WHEN HE RETURNS TO HANOI, TO CONTINUE DEVELOP THE EFFORTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE, BOTH BY HIM BEFORE AND THOUGH OTHER MEANS

IS IN IT

ORDER TO TRY AND STRENGTHEN WHAT WE HAVE ALREADY DONE BY WAY OF MAKING REPRESENTATIONS ON THIS DIFFICULT ISSUE.

(SALLY BLYTH): COULD I JUST FOLLOW-UP? DOES THAT MEAN EXTRA PRESSURE ON THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT?

Q.

/

A? WELL,

I MEAN, I SUPPOSE YOU CAN INTERPET IT AS SUCH IF AN AMBASSADOR GOES IN TO SEE A SENIOR MEMBER OF THE VIETNAMESE GOVERN- MENT TO EXPLAIN THE CONCERNS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE HERE TO ME AND TO OTHERS ON THIS DIFFICULT ISSUE, THEN YOU CAN CALL THAT PRESSURE, WHETHER OR NOR I SAID, THE VIETNAMESE WOULD ACTUALLY RESPOND POSITIVELY, I AM NOT SURE. I HAVE TO SAY THAT I DON'T HOLD OUT MUCH HOPE AT THE MOMENT THAT IT WILL NECESSARILY BE SUCCESSFUL BUT WE'VE GOT TO CONTINUE THROUGH ANY CHANNEL WE CAN TO APPLY WHAT YOU TERMED 'PRESSURE', AND ENCOURAGEMENT TO THE VIETNAMESE TO TRY AND SOLVE THE DIFFICULT ISSUE WHICH THESE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES PROVIDE

FOR YOU.

WILSON

YYYY

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LIMITED

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NEWS DEPT

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