XN000022-1988-07-16 — Page 2

SATURDAY, JULY 16, 1988

GOVERNOR LEAVES FOR LONDON

VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE WOULD BE ON THE TOP OF THE LIST OF TOPICS THAT THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON, WOULD BE DISCUSSING WITH THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE DURING HIS CURRENT VISIT TO LONDON.

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS TONIGHT (SATURDAY) BEFORE LEAVING HONG KONG, SIR DAVID SAID WHILE IN LONDON HE WOULD BE SEEING THE FOREIGN SECRETARY, SIR GEOFFREY HOWE, AND LORD GLENARTHUR AS WELL AS SENIOR OFFICIALS IN THE FOREIGN OFFICE.

"AND AS USUAL ON THESE VISITS, I WILL BR COVERING ALL THE RANGE OF ISSUES THAT ARE OF IMPORTANCE TO US IN HONG KONG, HE SAID.

"I

"AMONG THOSE TOPICS WILL BE OF COURSE THE VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE WHICH IS VERY MUCH ON THE TOP OF OUR LIST OF CONCERNS AND THE DISCUSSIONS OF OUR PROGRESS IN THE CONSULTATION OF THE DRAFT BASIC LAW TOGETHER WITH ANY OTHER 199UES THAT ARE CURRENT BETWEEN US AND UK AT THE MOMENT, HE SAID.

ASKED ABOUT A MEETING HELD HERE EARLIER LAST WEEK BETWEEN HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND TWO REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE UNHCR IN GENEVA, SIR DAVID SAID THAT THEY DISCUSSED THE QUESTION OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE AND THE NEW SCREENING POLICY.

"WB ALSO TALKED то THEM ABOUT THE QUESTION OF LOOKING AFTER THE PEOPLE HERE WHO ARE BEING TREATED HR ADDED.

OF THE COSTS AS REFUGEES,"

ON THE DRAFT

WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE HOUSE OF COMMONS' DEBATR BASIC LAW, SIR DAVID SAID THAT IT WAS USEFUL WHEN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS TOOK A CLOSE INTEREST IN WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN HONG KONG.

DEBATE ON

THE HERR

"I NOTICE THAT MANY OF THE POINTS MADE IN THAT BASIC LAW WERE VERY SIMILAR TO THE POINTS WHICH HAVE BEEN MADE IN THE VERY GOOD TWO DAYS' LEGCO DEBATE, " HE SAID.

THE GOVERNOR WILL VISIT LONDON FROM JULY 17 TO 20 DURING WHICH HE WILL ALSO GIVE A SPEECH ABOUT HONG KONG AND ITS FUTURE AS A LEADING FINANCIAL CENTRE TO REPRESENTATIVES OF THE BUSINES9 AND FINANCIAL COMMUNITY AT THE STATIONERS HALL IN THE CITY OF LONDON.

SIR DAVID AND LADY WILSON WILL THEN HAVE A HOLIDAY IN SCOTLAND BEFORE RETURNING TO HONG KONG ON AUGUST 19.

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

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