WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1989
SENTIMENT ON RIGHT OF ABODE IN UK RUNNING HIGH
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SENTIMENT IS RUNNING HIGH IN THE COMMUNITY FOR THE UNITED KINGDOM TO HONOUR ITS MORAL OBLIGATIONS WHICH GO HAND-IN-HAND WITH SOVEREIGNTY TOWARDS HONG KONG PEOPLE, THE HON CHEUNG YAN-LUNG SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
UNLESS A SATISFACTORY SCHEME WAS FORTHCOMING IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE, FRUSTRATION COULD BUILD UP TO A POINT WHICH WOULD EVENTUALLY AFFECT THE GOVERNABILITY OF THE TERRITORY, HE ADDED.
SPEAKING IN THE POLICY DEBATE, MR CHEUNG URGED GOVERNMENT TO MAKE AN EARLY ANNOUNCEMENT ON THE RIGHT OF SO THAT PEOPLE MIGHT BE REASSURED ON THE FUTURE.
HE ALSO URGED THAT THE SCHEME SHOULD BE POSSIBLE ALTHOUGH BRITAIN HAD ALL ALONG ARGUED IMPRACTICABLE TO RESTORE THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN THE BRITISH SUBJECTS IN HONG KONG.
THE BRITISH ABODE ISSUE
AS GENEROUS AS THAT IT WAS UK ΤΟ ALL THE
"ONLY A GENEROUS SCHEME WILL BOOST THE CONFIDENCE OF A SUFFICIENTLY LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE TO STAY AND CONTINUE SUPPORTING THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG.
"
'SUCH A SCHEME SHOULD NOT BE CONDITIONAL UPON ANY FUTURE EVENTUALITIES EITHER, LEST IT WOULD DEFEAT ITS PURPOSES, HE SAID.
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MR CHEUNG NOTED THAT BRITAIN HAD NEVER BEEN A FAVOURED DESTINATION COUNTRY FOR HONG KONG EMIGRANTS AS MANY WOULD OPT FOR THE UNITED STATES, CANADA AND AUSTRALIA.
HE SAID HONG KONG PEOPLE WERE ONLY SEEKING AN INSURANCE POLICY AND NOT ACTUALLY MOVING OVERSEAS NOW.
ON SINO-HONG KONG RELATIONSHIPS, MR CHEUNG URGED ALL PARTIES CONCERNED TO PUT ASIDE THEIR DIFFERENCES AND PUT ALL THEIR EFFORTS INTO MAINTAINING HONG KONG'S STABILITY AND PROSPERITY BEFORE AND BEYOND 1997.
HE SAID ANY UNCERTAINTY DURING THE TRANSITION WOULD HAMPER ONLY THE CONFIDENCE OF HONG KONG PEOPLE BUT ALSO THAT OF INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.
ΝΟΤ THE
ON VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE, MR CHEUNG SAID THE CONCEPT OF SCREENING HAD NOW BEEN ADOPTED BY ALL OTHER PLACES OF FIRST ASYLUM IN THE REGION AND THE LOGICAL DEVELOPMENT WOULD BE TO LOOK FOR WAYS то REPATRIATE THOSE WHO WERE NOT GENUINE REFUGEES.
"I ALSO URGE THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, BEFORE IT TRIES TO POINT FINGERS AT HONG KONG, TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ACTUAL SITUATION IN HONG KONG, AND OFFER BETTER ALTERNATIVES IF THEY CAN THINK OF ANY," HE SAID.
/ON ENVIRONMENTAL