2
Question: In the Morning Post there is this report that while the UNHCR's Asia Office said that the Hong Kong's boat people have zero per cent chance to be all repatriated to Vietnam before 1997, before the change of sovereignty, what do you think of that?
Governor: We are obviously working as hard as we can to ensure that all the Vietnamese migrants are returned by that date. What I think the UNHCR spokesman was saying was that because of recent statements by some American Congressmen, it's more difficult to encourage the Vietnamese migrants to go back to Vietnam. He said,, I think, that the Vietnam which those Congressmen are describing is a Vietnam that no longer exists. He also pointed out, I think, that there isn't the remotest chance of those Vietnamese migrants being allowed to go to California or wherever else it is that they want to settle. The sensible thing for them to do is to go back to Vietnam sooner rather than later. He was quite right to say that those moves in the American Congress have made it more difficult for us to achieve our objective. But we'll still work to try to do so..
1PT
Question: Mr Patten, official I believe said that there was a possibility that the Vietnamese could be transferred to re-education camps in China after 1997? Can you give the Vietnamese the reassurance that would not happen?
Governor: I've got no reason to think that will happen. But any reassurance should come from Chinese officials. I didn't make the speculative assumption nor have I got any responsibility for statements made about the position after 1997. But, the reassurance should come from Chinese officials.
Question: The political panel of the PWC suggested that the provisional legislature should be established next year. Would this be discussed in the meeting between the two foreign ministers in October?
Governor: I haven't got the faintest idea. I will however repeat and underline what the Chief Secretary said yesterday. There is no need whatsoever for a provisional legislature. The people of Hong Kong will be electing a perfectly good legislature in a clean, fair and open way this September and our judgment is that legislature should last until 1999 and any other arrangement will be confusing for the people of Hong Kong and disruptive and may well cause considerable doubts in the minds of the international community about the future here in Hong Kong. So as far as we're concerned, the legislature elected in September this year should be allowed to complete its term. I am sure it will be an effective legislative body.
Question: What do you think are the chances of some of the Vietnamese Refugees leaving behind by the time of handover and what will happen to them?
"