XN000022-1988-03-24 — Page 2

THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 1988

SATISFACTORY BASIS FOR NEW DCA REACHED

WILSON,

IN

FOLLOW-UP DISCUSSIONS BY THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID LONDON ON THE DEFENCE COSTS AGREEMENT HAS RESULTED IN A SATISFACTORY BASIS FOR A NEW AGREEMENT, SIR DAVID SAID THIS (THURSDAY) EVENING.

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AT THE AIRPORT ON HIS RETURN FROM A WEEK- LONG VISIT IN ENGLAND, HE ADDED THAT EXPERTS ON BOTH SIDES WOULD BE MEETING SOON TO WRITE DOWN DETAILS OF THE NEW AGREEMENT.

NEW DETAILS

ASKED HOW MUCH LESS HONG KONG WOULD HAVE TO PAY IN THE AGREEMENT, SIR DAVID SAID: "I CAN'T AT THE MOMENT GO INTO THE OF IT UNTIL THE FINE PRINT HAS BEEN WRITTEN DOWN AND APPROVED.

"WHAT I CAN SAY THOUGH IS THAT WHEN MR GEORGE YOUNGER, DEFENCE SECRETARY, COMES HERE LATER TODAY, THERE WON'T BE NEGOTIATIONS WITH HIM.

THE

ANY

"IT'S NOW A QUESTION OF THE EXPERTS WRITING DOWN THE FINE PRINT," SIR DAVID SAID.

BE REACHED, THE GOVERNOR PRESENT AGREEMENT RUNS

ASKED WHEN THE NEW AGREEMENT WOULD SAID: "I HOPE WE WILL GET ONE VERY SOON, THE OUT AT THE END OF THE MONTH. WE WANT TO WRITE DOWN DETAILS OF A NEW AGREEMENT AND GET THAT APPROVED.

**

DESCRIBING HIS VISIT AS "SHORT BUT USEFUL, SIR DAIVD SAID IT GAVE HIM THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE FOREIGN SECRETARY AND SENIOR FOREIGN OFFICE OFFICIALS AND TO BRING THEM UP-TO-DATE ON DEVELOPMENTS IN HONG KONG.

"I ALSO SAW THE HOME SECRETARY, MR DOUGLAS HURD AND I SPOKE ΤΟ HIM ABOUT THE CONTINUING AND GROWING PROBLEM OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES HERE IN HONG KONG, AND THE NECESSITY OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY HELPING TO FIND BOTH A LONG TERM SOLUTION то THIS PROBLEM, AND PENDING THAT LONG TERM SOLUTION, CONTINUING RESETTLEMENT, SIR DAVID SAID.

ASKED TO COMMENT ON A CALL FROM ASEAN COUNTRIES TO FIND A COMMON SOLUTION TO THE REFUGEE PROBLEM, SIR DAVID SAID: "THE COMMENT I'D MAKE ON THAT IS THAT WE DO SHARE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE COUNTRIES OF SOUTHEAST ASIA.

'WE'RE ALL SUFFERING FROM THE FACT THAT VIETNAM IS RUNNING ITS ECONOMY IN SUCH A BAD WAY THAT PEOPLE ARE RISKING THEIR LIVES ΤΟ LEAVE THE COUNTRY, AND THAT IS AFFECTING US AS IT IS AFFECTING THE COUNTRIES OF SOUTHEAST ASIA, HE ADDED.

"IT'S A VERY GOOD THING THAT WE SHOULD DISCUSS DIRECTLY WITH THEM WAYS IN WHICH THE PROBLEM SHOULD BE TACKLED, HE SAID.

TE

THE GOVERNOR