XN000022-1986-11-24 — Page 2

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1986

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DEFENCE COST AMONG TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION GOVERNOR

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THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, SAID THIS (MONDAY) EVENING THAT THE DEFENCE COST AGREEMENT, VIETNAMESE REFUGEES AND THE ANNUAL REPORT ON HONG KONG TO PARLIAMENT WOULD BE AMONG THE TOPICS OF HIS DISCUSSIONS WITH MINISTERS DURING HIS TRIP TO LONDON.

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AT THE AIRPORT BEFORE HIS DEPARTURE, SIR EDWARD SAID THAT HE WOULD BE TALKING WITH MINISTERS IN A PRELIMINARY WAY ABOUT THE DEFENCE COST REVIEW NEXT YEAR.

+AND A PARTICULAR SUBJECT I WOULD WANT TO RAISE THIS TIME OF COURSE, IS THE INCREASING CONCERN IN HONG KONG ABOUT VIETNAMESE REFUGEES AND TO ASK MINISTERS HOW THEY'RE GETTING ON WITH THEIR REVIEW OF POLICIES BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN SOME CONCERNS EXPRESSED

IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON THAT SUBJECT, HE SAID.

ON THE ANNUAL REVIEW TO PARLIAMENT, SIR EDWARD SAID: +AS YOU KNOW, IT WAS AN UNDERTAKING THAT THERE WOULD BE AN ANNUAL REPORT TO PARLIAMENT. SO I WANT TO HAVE A WORD WITH THEM ABOUT THAT AS WELL.+

THE GOVERNOR SAID HE WAS EXPECTING TO HAVE A USEFUL REVIEW WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE, SIR GEOFFREY HOWE, AND THE FCO MINISTER, MR TIMOTHY RENTON.

+THEY LIKE TO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH WHAT IS HAPPENING IN HONG KONG AND I LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE IN LONDON ARE FULLY AWARE OF ALL THE DEVELOPMENTS HERE, SIR EDWARD SAID.

ASKED ABOUT THE INFLUX OF CHILD ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM CHINA, THE GOVERNOR SAID THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WAS DOING ALL IT COULD TO STOP THE ILLEGAL INFLUX.

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+ IT IS, I THINK, FOR PARENTS ALSO TO RECOGNISE THAT TO TRY TO BRING IN CHILDREN ILLEGALLY IS VERY DANGEROUS TO CHILDREN, AND IT IS NOT IN ANYBODY'S INTERESTS. SO WE'RE DOING ALL WE CAN TO PUT IT TO AN END,+ HE ADDED.

THE GOVERNOR WAS SEEN OFF AT THE AIRPORT BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DAVID AKERS-JONES, THE SENIOR MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, SIR S.Y.CHUNG, AND THE SENIOR MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MISS LYDIA DUNN.

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