WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1987
MR WONG ALSO SPOKE ABOUT THE BOAT PEOPLE ARRIVING FROM VIETNAM. HE SAID THE BURDEN OF KEEPING THOSE REFUGEES HAD ALREADY FALLEN ON HONG KONG FOR FAR TOO LONG, YET THERE WAS LITTLE SIGN OF RELIEF IN THE NEAR FUTURE AND EVERY LIKELIHOOD THAT THE BURDEN WOULD INCREASE.
HE SAID HE SUPPORTED ANY SOLUTION THAT WOULD RELIEVE HONG KONG OF THIS BURDEN WHETHER IT INVOLVED REPATRIATION OR SOME OTHER METHOD. BUT IT MUST BE A SOLUTION THAT DID NOT COMPROMISE HONG KONG'S LONG AND CONSISTENT REPUTATION FOR TREATING THE BOAT PEOPLE IN A HUMANE AND DECENT MANNER.
HE SAID: "SENDING THEM BACK TO VIETNAM MAY BE A LAST RESORT, IF WE CAN BE ABSOLUTELY SURE THAT THEY WILL NOT BE PERSECUTED.'
"HOWEVER, I AM FIRMLY OPPOSED TO ANY ATTEMPT OR SUGGESTION TO TURN THEM BACK BEFORE THEY LAND IN HONG KONG, THIS IS NEITHER HUMANE NOR PRACTICAL."
TURNING TO THE BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS) PASSPORT, MR WONG URGED THE BRITISH AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENTS TO DO MORE TO ENSURE THE ACCEPTABILITY OF THE PASSPORT TO FOREIGN COUNTRIES.
HE SAID THE INITIAL ENTHUSIASM FOR THE NEW PASSPORT HAD FIZZLED OUT LIKE A DAMP MATCH.
MR WONG SAID: "THOSE WHO ARE CONSIDERING WHETHER OR NOT TO TAKE OUT THE PASSPORT WOULD BE MORE INTERESTED TO KNOW HOW THE BRITISH AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENTS' PROMISES ABOUT ENSURING THE ACCEPTABILITY OF THE PASSPORT HAVE BEEN FULFILLED; WHAT POSITIVE EFFORTS HAVE BEEN MADE AND WILL BE MADE ΤΟ ENSURE THAT OTHER COUNTRIES' IMMIGRATION OFFICERS ARE FAMILIAR WITH IT: AND HOW MANY COUNTRIES SO FAR HAVE SAID THAT THEY WILL RECOGNISE IT.
"I
"TIME IS NOT REALLY ON OUR SIDE. WHILE Ι APPRECIATE
DIFFICULTIES INVOLVED, THIS IS NOT AN MATTER WITH UTMOST SPEED AND EFFORT.'
EXCUSE FOR
NOT
THE
PURSUING
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