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HAD A LONG COASTLINE AND THE AUTHORITIES CONCERNED WOULD TAKE SOME TIME TO ESTABLISH THE FACTS AND INVESTIGATE INTO THE ALLEGATIONS.
8. IN REPLY TO DR HELMUT SOHMEN ON THE QUESTION REGARDING REPATRIATION OF BOAT PEOPLE BACK TO VIETNAM, THE MINISTER OF STATE SAID THE THE MATTER WAS BEING PURSUED THROUGH DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS. COMMENING ON WHAT ROLE CHINA COULD PLAY, MR RJT MCLAREN SAID THAT SINCE THE PRESENT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CHINA AND VIETNAM HAD YET TO BE IMPROVED, IT WAS UNLIKELY THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT COULD INFLUENCE VIETNAM ON THIS MATTER HOWEVER, THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAD DISCUSSED WITH THE FOREIGN MINISTER OF USSR RECENTLY AND ASKED THE SOVIET GOVERNMENT TO EXERT PRESSURE ON THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT WITH A VIEW TO SECURING EVENTUAL REPATRIATION OF THE VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE BACK TO THEIR COUNTRY.
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9 IN REPLY TO MR MARTIN LEE, THE MINISTER OF STATE SAID THAT THE CURRENT SITUATION WAS THAT THE UNITED KINGDOM COULD ACCEPT 20 VIETNAMESE REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG PER MONTH FOR RESETTLEMENT. HOWEVER, AS HE POINTED OUT EARLIER, THE MONTHLY INTAKE WAS BEING REVIEWED TOGETHER WITH A LIST OF OTHER OPTIONS.
COMPLAINTS AGAINST UK IMMIGRATION OFFICERS
10. DR HO KAM-FAI SAID THAT OMELCO HAD RECENTLY RECEIVED COMPLAINTS FROM SOME HONG KONG RESIDENTS TRAVELLING TO UK THAT THEY HAD BEEN REFUSED ENTRY TO BRITAIN UNREASONABLY AND THAT THEY HAD BEEN
THE SUBJECTED TO UNFRIENDLY TREATMENT BY UK IMMIGRATION OFFICERS. INCIDENTS HAD AROUSED HONG KONG PEOPLE'S CONCERN OVER THE VALIDITY AND USEFULNESS OF THE BDTC AND BNCO) PASSPORTS. HE SAID THAT CASES OF THIS NATURE COULD EASILY BE PERCEIVED BY PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AS AN INDICATION THAT BRITAIN WAS DISTANCING ITSELF FROM HONG KONG. HE ADDED THAT IT WAS WORRYING THAT MORE CASES HAD SURFACED EVEN AFTER THE MATTER HAD LAST BEEN RAISED WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE.
11. DR HO KAM-FAI SAID THAT ACCORDING TO THE COMPLAINTS RECEIVED. BY OMELCO, SOME HONG KONG RESIDENTS WHO HAD BEEN REFUSED ENTRY HAD THEIR PASSPORTS STAMPED WITH A CHOP WHICH WAS CROSSED OUT BY UK IMMIGRATION OFFICERS. THIS WAS EXTREMELY UNFAIR TO THOSE CONCERNED BEARING IN MIND THAT THEY WERE STILL ENTITLED TO APPEAL AGAINST THE REFUSAL OF ENTRY. SUCH A STAMP COULD EASILY BECOME A BLACK MARK AGAINST THOSE CONCERNED AND WOULD LIKELY CREATE DIFFICULTIES FOR THEM WHEN TRAVELLING TO OTHER COUNTRIES. THERE WAS ALSO THE QUESTION OF RETURNING THOSE WHO WERE REFUSED ENTRY TO THE LAST POINT OF DEPARTURE. HE FELT THAT SOME FLEXIBILITY SHOULD BE EXERCISED AND THAT THOSE WHO HAD BEEN REFUSED ENTRY SHOULD BE
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