WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7, 1989
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WHEN ASKED ABOUT FURTHER POSSIBLE MEASURES, MR BARNES SAID ACTION THAT HAD ALREADY BEEN REFERRED TO BY LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS IN THE DEBATE LAST MONTH WAS THE SUSPENSION OF THE FIRST ASYLUM POLICY.
"IF WE DON'T SEE WHAT WE HOPE TO GET FROM THE GENEVA CONFERENCE, THE QUESTION OF THE SUSPENSION OF THE FIRST ASYLUM POLICY WILL INEVITABLY ARISE AND WE WILL INEVITABLY HAVE TO CONSIDER IT, HE SAID.
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"I AM NOT SAYING WE ARE MOVING TO THIS NOW. I AM TALKING SPECULATIVELY AND HYPOTHETICALLY ABOUT A SITUATION IN THE FUTURE IF THE GENEVA CONFERENCE IS NOT SATISFACTORY.
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"BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SUSPENDING FIRST ASYLUM, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT PUSHING PEOPLE OFF, AND THAT MUST BE CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD. IT WOULD PRESUMABLY INVOLVE THE SUSPENSION OF SCREENING FOR THOSE ARRIVING, 30 THAT ALL THOSE WHO ARRIVE WOULD BE REGARDED AS UNAUTHORISED ENTRANTS INTO HONG KONG.
"BUT I MUST EMPHASISE THAT THIS IS VERY MUCH HYPOTHETICAL: I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO GET THE WRONG END OF THE STICK ON THIS AND START SAYING WE ARE CONSIDERING SUSPENDING FIRST ASYLUM BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT GOT TO THAT STAGE.
"I WAS SPECULATING AS TO WHAT SUSPENSION OF FIRST ASYLUM MIGHT BE: AND I WAS SPECULATING BECAUSE THIS HAD BEEN THE CALL FROM THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS IN THE DEBATE LAST MONTH THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THEY WOULD WISH ΤΟ HAVE CONSIDERED IF THE GENEVA CONFERENCE WAS SEEN TO BE INEFFECTUAL.'
STI TO VISIT UNITED STATES
THE SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY, ARRIVE IN THE UNITED STATES ON SATURDAY FAMILIARISATION VISIT.
MR JOHN CHAN, WELL (JUNE 101 FOR A
MR CHAN EXPLAINED THAT THE VISIT, WHICH HAD BEEN PLANNED FOR SOME TIME, WAS то ENABLE HIM TO ESTABLISH CONTACTS WITH U.S. OFFICIALS, MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND TRADE ORGANISATIONS.
HE SAID THAT MANY OF HIS COUNTERPARTS WERE FAIRLY NEW TO THEIR JOBS AND IT WAS DESIRABLE THAT PERSONAL CONTACTS BE ESTABLISHED AT AN EARLY STAGE.
"OBVIOUSLY, RECENT EVENTS IN CHINA WILL BE RAISED, "BUT THE PRIME PURPOSE OF THE VISIT IS TO DISCUSS TRADE MUTUAL CONCERN TO BOTH HONG KONG AND THE UNITED STATES.
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HE SAID. MATTERS OF
AMONG THOSE WHOM MR CHAN WILL BE MEETING IN WASHINGTON IS THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE, MRS CARLA HILLS.
DURING MR