XN000022-1980-10-23 — Page 5

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER, 23, 1980

HE ADDED: FAR FROM BEING WELCOMED BY OUR PEOPLE, THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARE NOW MORE AND MORE RESENTED AS THEY ARE SEEN TO BE ERODING THE IMPROVEMENT IN STANDARDS THAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG HAVE WORKED SO HARD TO ACHIEVE.+

SIR MURRAY NOTED THE REACHED BASE+ POLICY HAD BECOME A CHARADE IN WHICH THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT HAS LITTLE TO LOSE AND EVERYTHING TO GAIN BY ATTEMPTING TO RUN THE GAUNTLET OF CHINESE AND HONG KONG FORCES, AND EVEN IF CAUGHT HAS EVERY INCENTIVE TO TRY AGAIN.

+THE CHINESE ACCUSE US, WITH SOME JUSTIFICATION, OF APPLYING A POLICY WHICH POSITIVELY WELCOMES ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS,

+ IF THIS MOVEMENT IS TO STOP THE POTENTIAL ILLEGAL EMIGRANT ON THE COMMUNE MUST BE MADE TO REALISE THAT EVEN IF HE GETS THROUGH THE SECURITY CORDONS, HE WILL NOT HAVE REACHED BASE AND SAFETY, BUT LIKE AN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, WILL BE CONSTANTLY LIABLE TO ARREST AND RETURN.◄

SIR MURRAY SAID LORD CARRINGTON'S TALKS WITH VICE PREMIER HUANG HUA IN LONDON, HIS OWN TALKS IN GUANGZHOU, AND THE SUBSEQUENT ADVICE YESTERDAY OF EXECUTIVE COUNCIL WERE THE LAST LINKS IN A LONG CHAIN OF EVALUATION AND CONSULTATION WHICH LED TO THE NEW LEGISLATION PRESENTED TO THE COUNCIL.

HE SAID HE HAD BEEN INCREASINGLY CONSCIOUS FOR SOME MONTHS TO A GENERAL DEMAND FOR NEW ACTION BY GOVERNMENT TO HALT THE FLOW.

IN ADDITION TO DISTASTE FOR ENDING A TRADITIONAL AND HUMANE POLICY, HE SAID, THE MAIN REASON WHY SUCH ACTION WAS NOT TAKEN BEFORE HAD BEEN THE POSSIBILITY OF CRIME AND CORRUPTION IF SUCH A POLICY FAILED TO ACHIEVE ITS PURPOSE OF STOPPING THE INFLOW, AND OF A SUB-STRATUM OF SOCIETY LIVING OUTSIDE THE LAW GROWING UP.

THE GOVERNMENT, HE SAID, CONSIDERED THESE DANGERS SUFFICIENTLY SERIOUS TO REFUSE TO ACCEPT THEM UNLESS AND UNTIL WE WERE ASSURED:

FIRSTLY, THAT THE FLOW OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION ITSELF HAD REACHED A STAGE AT WHICH IT POSED DANGERS GREATER THAN THOSE INVOLVED IN ABANDONING TRADITIONAL POLICY. THIS THE GOVERNOR BELIEVED ALREADY TO BE THE CASE,

SECONDLY, THAT THE PRESENT MEASURES BY THE CHINESE AND OUR OWN FORCES WOULD BE UNLIKELY TO STOP THE FLOW, AS THEY HAVE DONE IN THE PAST, UNLESS SOME NEW ELEMENT WERE INTRODUCED TO HELP. THIS TOO, SIR MURRAY SAID, IS NOW CLEARLY THE CASE.

THIRDLY, THAT