CONFIDENTIAL
Fox 203/393/1
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO MEDIATE F C O
TELNO
1823
OF 061125Z JUNE 91
RECK
06 JUN 031
Rg 1/6
7
TOP COPY Q DIST?
INFO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA, HANOI, WASHINGTON INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
53
123007
MDHIAN 0033
MY TELNO 1763: VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS: DEBATE IN THE LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL
THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL YESTERDAY, 5 JUNE, DEBATED THE TWO MOTIONS SET OUT IN TUR. AS EXPECTED, STEPHEN CHEONG'S AMENDED MOTION WAS CARRIED.
2.
18 MEMBERS SPOKE DURING THE DEBATE: 11 EXPRESSED SUPPORT FOR THE CHEONG MOTION: 4 INDICATED SUPPORT FOR THE POON MOTION: AND 3 SAID THEY WOULD ABSTAIN.
3.
NEARLY ALL THOSE WHO SPOKE REFERRED, WITH VARYING DEGREES OF PASSION, TO THE INCREASINGLY UNACCEPTABLE AND INTOLERABLE IMPACT OF THE VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS PROBLEM ON THE HONG KONG COMMUNITY CLAW AND ORDER, STRAIN ON WELFARE SERVICES, MANPOWER AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES, ETC.). THEY SPOKE ABOUT THE CLEAR SENSE OF FRUSTRATION THAT EXITS IN THE COMMUNITY: SAYING THAT, DESPITE STRENUOUS EFFORTS IN THE PAST 16 YEARS TO COPE WITH THE PROBLEM IN ACCORDANCE WITH INTERNATIONAL PRACTICES, HONG KONG HAD IN RETURN RECEIVED ONLY CRITICISM FROM HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS. NOW HONG KONG WAS FACED WITH A FURTHER INFLUX. LITTLE PROGRESS HAD BEEN MADE ON CONCERTED INTERNATIONAL ACTION TO RETURN NON-REFUGEES. AS A RESULT, VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS REPRESENT AN EVERY GROWING BURDEN ON HONG KONG. UNHCR GOT BARELY A MENTION.
4.
THE STRONG MESSAGE WAS THAT THE COMMUNITY'S PATIENCE HAD ALMOST WORN OUT AND THAT HONG KONG 'S CONTINUING ABILITY TO CARRY OUT THE CPA COULD NOT BE TAKEN FOR GRANTED. THERE WAS A CONSENSUS THAT HONG KONG HAD CONTRIBUTED MORE THAN ITS FAIR SHARE TOWARDS THE RESOLUTION OF THIS PROBLEM. PASSIONATE CRITICISM WAS DIRECTED AT THE WORLD COMMUNITY FOR IGNORING HONG KONG'S PRESENT GRAVE PLIGHT. IN A NUMBER OF SPEECHES, HMG AND THE US WERE SINGLED OUT FOR PARTICULAR CRITICISM. BOTH WERE URGED TO SHARE HONG KONG'S BURDEN AND TO INCREASE THEIR ASSISTANCE BOTH FINANCIALLY AND IN PRACTICAL TERMS. SEVERAL SPEAKERS TOOK THE LINE THAT AS
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