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GIS
JUL 01 '88 14:50 HKGO LONDON FAX:01 499-1964
HURB 027/1
F
·4 JUL 1988
Mr Mum or Mr Paul
Mr Www
Mr Mom?
P.2
(Noto: HK go will sem the rimaninig pyes whe they and reins from MK).
163
IN.
im Footman
Mm Dickeron
2.
PA
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FRIDAY, JULY 1, 1988
LORD GLENARTHUR GIVES PRESS CONFERENCE
GIVEN TODAY
FOLLOWING IS A TRANSCRIPT OF THE PRESS CONFERENCE (FRIDAY) BY THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS WITH RESPONSIBILITY FOR HONG KONG, LORD GLENARTHUR:
LORD GLENARTHUR: I AM DELIGHTED TO BE BACK IN HONG KONG AND TO HAVE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO MEET YOU. THIS IS MY THIRD VISIT ALTOGETHER IN THE YEAR SINCE I TOOK ON MY PRESENT JOB AS MINISTER OF STATE IN THE FCO. ONCE AGAIN THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAS ORGANISED A FULL AND VARIED PROGRAMME.
DURING MY STAY I HAVE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH THE GOVERNOR, WITH EXCO AND LEGCO, AND WITH THOSE HANDLING THE PROBLEM OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE. I HAVE SEEN THAT PROBLEM FOR MYSELF AT THE HEI LING CHAU AND SHAM SHUI PO CENTRES. I HAVE ALSO MET REPRESENTATIVES OF THE BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING THOSE RUNNING THE HONG KONG TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL. AND 1 HAVE VISITED THE TAI PO INDUSTRIAL ESTATE AND THE TUEN MUN NEW TOWN,
1 AM VERY GRATEFUL TO THE GOVERNOR AND HIS OFFICIALS FOR ARRANGING THIS PROGRAMME, AND TO ALL THOSE WHO HAVE GIVEN ME AND MY WIFE SO MUCH OF THEIR TIME.
AS YOU KNOW, I HAVE ALSO BEEN TO THAILAND AND CHINA ON THIS 1 GAVE A PRESS CONFERENCE IN PEKING. BUT IT MAY BE
OF
INTEREST TO YOU IF I REPEAT SOME OF THE MAIN POINTS THAT CAME UP THEN.
4
HONG KONG WAS CENTRAL TO MY DISCUSSIONS WITH CHINESE MINISTERS. I WAS IMPRESSED BY THEIR DETERMINATION TO IMPLEMENT THE JOINT DECLARATION AND THEIR READINESS TO CONSULT HONG KONG PEOPLE ON THE DRAFT BASIC LAW AND TO AMEND IT IN THE LIGHT OF THEIR VIEWS.
1 DISCUSSED WITH THE CHINESE MINISTERS THE PROBLEM OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE BEING GIVEN ASSISTANCE ALONG THE COAST OF CHINA ON THEIR WAT TO HONG KONG: THEY UNDERSTOOD THE PROBLEM, UNDERTOOK TO FIND OUT THE FACTS, AND SAID THEY WOULD DO WHAT THEY COULD TO HELP.
MY
INTRODUCED A
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN A MAJOR TOPIC OF DISCUSSIONS HERE TOO, AS IT WAS WHEN SIR GEOFFREY HOWE WAS HERE A MONTH AGO. SINCE THEN THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAS NEW POLICY. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAD NO HESITATION THAT POLICY. THE SITUATION SIMPLY COULD NOT BE ALLOWED IT WAS.
IN ENDORSING TO GO ON AS
RI