WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1987
ACTING GOVERNOR TELLS LONDON OF CONCERN OVER REFUGEES *****
THE ACTING GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID AKERS-JONES, HAD PERSONALLY CONVEYED TO BOTH THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT AND MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT THE VIEWS OF LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE DEEP CONCERN FELT BY HONG KONG PEOPLE ABOUT THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEE PROBLEM.
SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE IN LONDON, SIR DAVID SAID HIS CURRENT VISIT TO BRITAIN ENABLED HIM TO DO THIS APART FROM MEETING THE NEW GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON.
HE ADDED THAT HONG KONG MUST LOSE NO OPPORTUNITY OF IMPRESSING BRITAIN AND THE REST OF THE WORLD ABOUT THE VERY DISTRESSING SITUATION WITH REGARD TO VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN THE TERRITORY.
SIR DAVID SAID THE OTHER SUBJECTS WHICH WERE DISCUSSED WITH SIR DAVID WILSON INCLUDED THE GREEN PAPER ON REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT, THE WORK OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP AND THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE WALLED CITY.
HE EXPECTED SIR DAVID WILSON TO ARRIVE IN HONG KONG IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SECOND WEEK OF APRIL, ABOUT A MONTH OR SO BEFORE THE GREEN PAPER WAS PUBLISHED. HE SAID THAT AN ANNOUNCEMENT ON HOW PUBLIC OPINION ON THE GREEN PAPER WOULD BE ASSESSED WOULD PROBABLY BE MADE IN A FEW WEEKS TIME.
HE SAID THAT SIR DAVID AND LADY WILSON WERE BOTH LOOKING FORWARD VERY MUCH TO COMING TO HONG KONG. HONG KONG IS VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE SOMEONE WITH SO DEEP AN UNDERSTANDING OF HONG KONG+, SIR DAVID ADDED.
WHILE IN LONDON, SIR DAVID ALSO MET WITH THE FOREIGN SECRETARY, SIR GEOFFREY HOWE THE PERMANENT UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE AT THE FOREIGN OFFICE, SIR PATRICK WRIGHT; DEPUTY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE AT THE FOREIGN OFFICE, MR DAVID GILMORE AND HEAD OF THE HONG KONG DEPARTMENT OF THE FOREIGN OFFICE, MR CHRISTOPHER HUM.
SIR DAVID SAID HE ALSO MET AN ALL PARTY GROUP OF MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT AT A LUNCH AT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE, AND WAS VERY IMPRESSED BY THE KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF HONG KONG AFFAIRS IN LONDON.
ON HIS FUTURE IN THE GOVERNMENT, HE SAID THE MATTER WOULD BE RAISED IN THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ON HIS RETURN TO HONG KONG BEFORE AN ANNOUNCEMENT IS MADE.
/HE ADDED