FRIDAY, JULY 16, 1993
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/ EARLY RETURN OF IIS MUST BE ASSURED: GOVERNOR
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IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO GIVE HONG KONG PEOPLE THE ASSURANCE THAT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WILL BE RETURNED AS RAPIDLY AS POSSIBLE, THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).
SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER VISITING HEALTH CLINICS IN YUEN LONG, THE GOVERNOR SAID: "IT WAS ALWAYS THE POSITION OF CHINESE OFFICIALS IN RELATION TO VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS FROM VIETNAM THAT THEY SHOULD BE RETURNED AS RAPIDLY AS POSSIBLE, THAT VIETNAM SHOULD ACCEPT THEM AS RAPIDLY AS POSSIBLE.
"IF THAT APPLIES TO VIETNAM, IT CERTAINLY APPLIES AS WELL ΤΟ CHINA, WHERE THESE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN RESIDENTS FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. H
HE SAID HONG KONG PEOPLE WOULD VRRY MUCH WELCOME AN FROM CHINESE OFFICIALS ALONG THOSE LINES.
ASSURANCE
ILLEGAL
"I THINK THAT THERE'S VERY LITTLE DOUBT THAT THEY ARE IMMIGRANTS AND I THINK THEY SHOULD BE TREATED LIKE OTHER ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WHO GET INTO HONG KONG AND WHO ARE FOUND AND SENT BACK, SENT BACK VERY RAPIDLY," THE GOVERNOR SAID.
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THIS REALLY IS A DIFFICULT SOCIAL PROBLEM. OVER THE YEARS, HONG KONG HAS SHOWN EXTRAORDINARY FORBEARING. EXTRAORDINARY PATIENCE IN DEALING WITH THE PROBLEM OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS TO OUR COMMUNITY.
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WE'VE BEEN AS THAN MOST
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'WE'VE DONE THAT AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN. GENEROUS AS ANY COMMUNITY IN THE WORLD, MORE GENEROUS COMMUNITIES.
"I'M SURE THAT OFFICIALS IN THE PRC WILL TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT, WILL TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WHEN THEY MAKE STATEMENTS AND WHEN THEY COME TO DECISIONS IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS AND WEEKS, HE ADDED.
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"FOR PEOPLE IN HONG KONG THIS IS A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT AND IT DESERVES PRIORITY TREATMENT FROM OFFICIALS IN CHINA.“
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BETTER HAS A
COMMENTING ON THE CONSULTATIVE PAPER ON **TOWARDS HEALTH", MR PATTEN SAID: "WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT HONG KONG HEALTH SERVICE WHICH CAN CARRY US ALL INTO THE 21ST CENTURY. AND THAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF THE HEALTH DOCUMENT THAT WE PRODUCED THIS WEEK.
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HE HOPED THE DOCUMENT WOULD BEGIN A PROCESS OF INTELLIGENT AND LIVELY DEBATE ABOUT HOW HONG KONG COULD IMPROVE HEALTH SERVICES FOR EVERYONE.
"WHAT WE WANT IS A HEALTH SERVICE WHICH IS AFFORDABLE FOR ALL AND ACCESSIBLE TO ALL. THAT'S OUR OBJECTIVE. THAT'S WHAT WE INTEND TO ACHIEVE," HE SAID.
/"OBVIOUSLY OVER