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WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 1984
+ THE ISSUES INVOLVED ARE COMPLICATED. IT WOULD NOT BE APPROPRIATE FOR ME TO GO INTO DETAILS OF WHAT IS BEING DISCUSSED: BUT MEMBERS MAY REST ASSURED THAT THE NEGOTIATORS HAVE THE INTERESTS OF THE WHOLE OF HONG KONG'S POPULATION AT HEA AND WILL BE SEEKING TO INCORPORATE IN THE AGREEMENT CLEAR AND DETAILED PROVISIONS FOR RESOLVING THIS ISSUE.
+THE OBJECTIVE WHICH THEY HAVE IN MIND IS THE NEED TO ENSURE CONTINUITY IN THE FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT WHICH HONG KONG PEOPLE NOW ENJOY AND WHICH I HAVE EXPLAINED IN DETAIL,+ MR THOMAS SAID.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, MR THOMAS SAID, IT WOULD BE APPARENT ON READING THE DEBATE IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS ON MAY 16 THAT THERE WAS NO SUPPORT EXPRESSED BY MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT FOR WHOLESALE AND OPEN-ENDED GUARANTEES OF PERMANENT IMMIGRATION FROM HONG KONG INTO THE UNITED KINGDOM.
+THE ANXIETIES WHICH GIVE RISE TO DEMANDS FOR SUCH UNDERTAK INGS ARE VERY UNDERSTANDABLE BUT THE FACTS OF POLITICAL LIFE APPEAR TO ME TO RULE THIS OUT, HE SAID.
+ANYHOW THE OBJECTIVE OF THE NEGOTIATORS IS TO PRODUCE AN AGREEMENT WHICH WILL ENABLE HONG KONG PEOPLE TO GO ON ENJOYING THE SAME RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS WHICH THEY ENJOY TODAY.
+LET US HOPE THAT THE OUTCOME OF THE TALKS WILL REMOVE THESE ANXIETIES, MR THOMAS SAID.
OPTION SEEKERS SHOULD NOT BE IGNORED
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WHAT HONG KONG CANNOT AFFORD TO IGNORE AT PRESENT IS THE SUCCESSFUL AND SKILLED MIDDLE CLASS WHO ARE SEEKING OPTIONS FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES, THE HON T.S. LO SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
J
LEADING THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT+, HE SAID THAT MANY WOULD HAVE TO LEAVE HONG KONG FOR A FEW YEARS TO GET SUCH OPTIONS.
+FAMILIES WILL BE SPLIT; CAREERS WILL BE ARRESTED IN MID-STREAM; CHILDREN'S EDUCATION DISRUPTED, SAVINGS SPENT,+ HE SAID.
+WHEN THEY ULTIMATELY RETURN TO HONG KONG AFTER GETTING THE DESIRED OPTION, A FOREIGN PASSPORT, THEY WILL HAVE TO RECONCILE THEMSELVES TO MAKING ANOTHER FRESH START IN LIFE. SOME AT LEAST WILL BE DETERRED BY THAT FURTHER CHALLENGE, + HE SAID.
/+THE LOSS