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MONDAY, JULY 4, 1988
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"SOME OF THEM HAVE INDICATED THAT THEY HAVE HEARD ABOUT THE CHANGE OF POLICY AT SOME STAGE ALONG THE ROUTE, BUT THIS HAS NOT APPARENTLY INFLUENCED THEIR DECISION TO COME HERE WHEN THE POLICY EXPLAINED TO THEM ON ARRIVAL.
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WAS
MR FRENCH ALSO NOTED THAT THE NEW VIETNAMESE ARRIVALS WOULD COMMUNICATE BACK TO THEIR FRIENDS AND RELATIVES IN VIETNAM AND URGE THEM NOT TO COME.
THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WOULD MAKE ALL, EFFORTS ΤΟ GET MESSAGE THROUGH TO VIETNAM AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, HE SAID.
THE
"OBVIOUSLY, IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN IN FIVE MINUTES FOR THE MESSAGE TO GET BACK TO SMALL FARMING AND FISHING COMMUNITIES A LONG WAY AWAY FROM THE MAJOR URBAN CENTRES SUCH AS THEY ARR IN VIETNAM," HE ADDED.
MR ACKERMAN, THE CONGRESSMAN FOR QUEENS IN NEW YORK CITY, TOLD THE PRESS THAT THE UNITED STATES AND THE WHOLE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SHOULD ADMIT MORE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES TO EASE THE BURDEN ON HONG KONG.
FI
I AM CERTAINLY GOING TO PUSH THE US, AND THE ENTIRE WORLD COMMUNITY, TO TAKE MORE.
HE NOTED THAT THE ENTIRE
RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS THESE PEOPLE.
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY HAD
HE SAID THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY ALSO INCLUDED THE SOVIET BLOC COUNTRIES AND THEY CERTAINLY HAD A RESPONSIBILITY TO URGE VIETNAM TO CHANGE THE SYSTEM TO GET "THE MESS SORTED OUT AND INSTALL AN ECONOMIC SYSTEM THAT MAKES SENSE",
PAYING TRIBUTE TO THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES FOR THE WAY THEY HAVE HANDLED THE RECENT FLOOD OF REFUGEES, MR ACKERMAN SAID: "WE DO OWE A DEBT OF GRATITUDE TO THE BRITISH WHO HAVE MADE IT POSSIBLE THAT THESE PEOPLE HAVE NOT BEEN PUSHED OUT TO
SEA; THAT THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE BASICS OF SURVIVAL.
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ASKED IF BRITAIN SHOULD TAKE THE LEAD IN ADMITTING MORE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES, HE SAID: "IT IS SILLY TO SAY BRITAIN HAS TO GO FIRST, BRITAIN HAS TO TAKE MORE REFUGEES.
"IF EVERY NATION LIVED UP TO ITS HUMANITARIAN RESPONSIBILITIES TO TAKE A FEW, IF IT WERE DIVIDED UP BETWEEN NATIONS, THEN THE NUMBERS ADMITTED BY EACH COUNTRY WOULD BE INSIGNIFICANT.'
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