7
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1987
Q.
(KRIS CHAN, HONG KONG STANDARD): YOU HAVE ALWAYS STRESSED THAT THERE HAS TO BE A MAJORITY BEFORE THE GOVERNMENT HAS TAKEN A DECISION ON ANY ISSUES IN THE REVIEW OF THE GREEN PAPER. BUT BY "MAJORITY" WHAT DO YOU MEAN, IT HAS TO BE OVER 50 PER CENT? OR DO YOU THINK 40 PER CENT IS ENOUGH? WHAT IS THE BENCH-MARK YOU HAVE?
A:
I DON'T THINK IT REALLY WOULD BE WORTHWHILE GOING INTO THE FINE DETAIL OR SEMANTICS ON THAT, WHAT I HAVE JUST SAID IS THAT A CLEAR MAJORITY VIEW ON ANY OF THE OPTIONS IN THE GREEN PAPER WOULD BE A POLITICAL FACT TO WHICH IT WOULD OBVIOUSLY BE NECESSARY TO GIVE FULL WEIGHT. NOW, I CAN'T ANSWER IN ANY GREATER DETAIL THAN ᎢᎻᎪᎢ . I AM SORRY.
Q.
(KENNETH MAK, MING PAO): HAVE YOU HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH THE GOVERNMENT ON THE QUESTION OF THE DEFENCE COSTS AND IF YOU HAVE, WHAT ARE THE RESULTS?
A:
WELL, I HAVE OBVIOUSLY DISCUSSED A NUMBER OF MATTERS WITH THE GOVERNOR, WITH EXCO AND WITH OTHERS. DEFENCE COSTS, YES, IT HAS BEEN REFERRED TO AND ALL I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT BOTH TEAMS ON THIS MATTER ARE WORKING TO SECURE AN AGREEMENT WHICH IS FAIR TO BOTH SIDES AND MEETS THE NEEDS OF BOTH GOVERNMENTS. THERE HAVE BEEN TWO FULL ROUNDS SO FAR AND THOSE HAVE BEEN SUPPLEMENTED BY INFORMAL DISCUSSIONS AND WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS.
Q.
(LORNA WORKMAN, RTHK): IF AS YOU SAID BRITAIN IS IN CHARGE OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS FOR HONG KONG, WILL IT IN THAT CASE TAKE POSITIVE ACTION TO SPONSOR A REGIONAL OR UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE TO INCLUDE A RE-DEFINITION OF THE TERM "REFUGEE", THE LIFTING OF THE BURDEN OF FIRST ASYLUM AND SEEKING A LASTING SOLUTION ΤΟ VIETNAM'S INTERNAL PROBLEMS?
A:
WELL, THIS IS AGAIN FEATURED AND I AM NOT SURE THAT THE CONFERENCE YOU SUGGESTED IS ONE THAT IS NECESSARILY LIKELY TO ATTRACT WIDE INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO ME 1F THE CONFERENCE IS TO BE SUCCESSFUL, THAT IS WHAT IT HAS GOT TO ACHIEVE. NO, [ THINK REALLY THAT THE WAY FORWARD HERE LIES THROUGH OUR CONTACTS WITH UNHCR AND THE MAIN RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES, AND THOSE TWO ROUTES OFFER THE BEST HOPES OF FINDING A LONG TERM SOLUTION COUPLED, OF COURSE, WITH THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT I MADE WHEN I MADE MY OPENING REMARKS.
Q.
(LORNA WORKMAN): BUT AS LONG AS THE TERM "REFUGEE" AND THE COUNTRY OF FIRST ASYLUM RULE APPLIES ΤΟ HONG KONG, THAT IT MUST ACCEPT ALL VIETNAMESE REFUGEES AND BE A PLACE OF FIRST' ASYLUM, THEN IT HAS NO CHOICE BUT TO DO SO, OR FACE INTERNATIONAL CONDEMNATION. NOW, WHAT IS BRITAIN GOING TO DO TO HELP HONG KONG OUT OF THAT?
/AI
WELL,