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PRESS CONFERENCE HELD BY THE FOREIGN SECRETARY, SIR GEOFFREY HOWE,
IN HONG KONG ON TUESDAY, 31 MAY 1988
I have been particularly struck, although not surprised, by the
strong feelings aroused by the arrival of the Vietnamese boat people
and the problems which they cause. I pay tribute to the generous and humanitarian response of the Hong Kong Government and people to their plight.
As I said yesterday, the burden on Hong Kong is becoming
intolerable. Things cannot go on as they are. I have to say
plainly that the automatic resettlement of all those leaving
Vietnam, for whatever reason, is not a practical proposition, nor, I
believe, would a civilised community like Hong Kong wish to leave
people to the mercy of the sea.
Other
The fact is that the vast bulk of boat people now arriving cannot be
described as "political refugees" as defined by the UNHCR.
countries cannot be expected to carry the burden of Vietnam's
abysmal economic mismanagement, least of all a small and overcrowded
territory like Hong Kong. It must be right in principle for these people, who are Vietnamese, to find their future in Vietnam.
Unfortunately, despite international pressure, Vietnam refuses to
have them back, but that must be the long-term solution. Britain
will continue to work for that.
So the options are limited. There is no magic formula and hard
decisions will have to be taken. I have had extensive discussions
here on the way ahead and I will take an early opportunity to report
to the British Government. All I can say at this stage is that I
fully accept that Hong Kong cannot go on offering itself to an
endless stream of people as a transit point to a future that does
not and cannot exist.
Of course, the whole position in South-East Asia would be immensely
improved if Vietnam quit Cambodia. The Soviet invasion of
Afghanistan and its support for the Vietnamese occupation of
MR3ABT