XN000022-1984-07-25 — Page 3

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 1984

PEOPLE MUST BE ALLOWED TO MOVE - AG ******

HONG KONG HAD TO LET PEOPLE MOVE, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HON MICHAEL THOMAS, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

TO BUILD A WALL AROUND HONG KONG, TO CONFINE ITS PEOPLE TO ITS 410 SQUARE MILES, WOULD THROTTLE THEIR DRIVE AND ENERGY AND CONDEMN THIS PLACE TO BECOME A DESOLATE BACKWATER, HE SAID AT THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT.

REFERRING TO UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS' EXPRESSION OF CONCERN IN THE DE BATE ABOUT PRESERVING THE IR RIGHT TO TRAVEL AFTER 1997, MR THOMAS SAID IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THE TWO GOVERNMENTS WHO ARE IN NEGOTIATION TO DEVISE ARRANGEMENTS THAT WOULD ENABLE HONG KONG TO MAINTAIN ITS STABILITY AND PROSPERITY +MUST HAVE A COMMON AIM TO MAINTAIN THOSE FREEDOMS+.

MR THOMAS RECALLED THAT SIR GEOFFREY HOWE HAD ANNOUNCED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL CHAMBER ON APRIL 20 THAT ERITAIN'S CHIEF CONCERN IN THE NEGOTIATIONS WAS TO PRESERVE THE WAY OF LIFE IN HONG KONG, AND THAT SIR GEOFFREY SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED IN THAT CONTEXT THE MAINTENANCE OF THE FREEDOM OF TRAVEL AND THE CONTINUITY OF THE LEGAL SYSTEM.

+BUSINESSMEN TRAVEL ABROAD TO MAKE CONTACTS WITH OVERSEAS INVESTORS, MANUFACTURERS AND TRADERS. MANY MORE BRING HERE THE IR COMMERCIAL SKILLS AND THE IR DESIGNS BECAUSE THEY FIND IN HONG KONG WORKERS WHO ARE WILLING TO WORK AND INVESTORS WHO ARE WILLING TO TAKE RISKS, + MR THOMAS SAID.

THERE WERE IN ESSENCE, FOUR ASPECTS OF THE FREEDOM TO TRAVEL - TO MOVE, TO LEAVE, TO BELONG AND TO RETURN, MR THOMAS SAID.

HE SAID THAT EXCEPT WITHIN AREAS USED FOR SECURITY PURPOSES,

COULD ALL PERSONS LAWFULLY HERE BOTH ALIENS AND CITIZENS MOVE AND RESIDE AND BUY PROPERTY WHERE THEY LIKED,

THE ONLY REAL EXCEPTION WAS THE CASE OF THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN CLOSED CAMPS, A SPECIAL CASE TO WHICH DIFFERENT PRINCIPLES APPLIED.

THE RIGHT TO LEAVE, MR THOMAS SAID, GAVE NO RIGHT TO ENTER ANY OTHER TERRITORY,

+WHETHER THEY WILL ADMIT PEOPLE FROM HONG KONG IS A MATTER FOR THEM AND INCREASINGLY THIS CENTURY, THE TREND HAS BEEN WORK ING AGAINST FREE MOVEMENT OF PEOPLES.

/+GOVERNIEUTS AROUND