XN000022-1988-09-22 — Page 10

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1988

THAT

"THIS IS AN ENCOURAGING SIGN. I HOPE IT IS INDEED A SIGN THE POLICY IS WORKING AND THAT VIETNAM IS TAKING STEPS ΤΟ STEM THE FLOW," SIR DAVID SAID.

"BUT I THINK WE SHALL HAVE TO WAIT TO SEE THE LONGER TERMS AND ITS IMPLICATIONS," HE ADDED.

ON THE QUESTION OF URGING BRITAIN AND OTHER RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES TO TAKE MORE REFUGEES, 91R DAVID SAID THE GOVERNMENT KEPT IN REGULAR TOUCH WITH THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE AND THE SUBJECT WAS DISCUSSED REGULARLY WITH MINISTERS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM.

"I THINK ALL COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD FIND IT A VRRY DIFFICULT PROBLEM AT THE MOMENT BECAUSE THERE IS NO END IN SIGHT FOR THE FLOW OF BOAT PEOPLE FROM VIETNAM, HE SAID.

"THEY SEE IT AS AN ENDLESS PROBLEM, AND PART OF OUR POLICY HAS BEEN VERY CLEARLY TO DRAW A DISCERNIBLE END TO THE PROBLEM.

"I THINK THAT IF WE ARE ABLE ΤΟ DO THAT AND TO CLEARLY DEMONSTRATE THAT THE NUMBER REQUIRING RESETTLEMENT IS LIMITED, THEN BELIEVE THE ATTITUDE OF THE RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES WILL CHANGE.

I

"THIS IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR POLICY AND WE'LL CERTAINLY KEEP PUSHING THAT VERY HARD, SIR DAVID SAID.

FS LEAVES FOR IMF CONFERENCE

BERLIN

THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, MR PIERS JACOBS, LEFT FOR WEST THIS (THURSDAY) EVENING TO ATTEND THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND CONFERENCE AS A MEMBER OF THE UK DELEGATION.

THE IMF CONFERENCE WILL BE HELD FROM SEPTEMBER 27 TO 29.

ON HIS WAY BACK, MR JACOBS WILL STOP OVER IN FRANKFURT ON SEPTEMBER 29 AND GIVE A LUNCIIEON TALK TO THE DEUTSCHE BANK. HE WILL ALSO VISIT OFFICES OF THE HONG RONG TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL IN FRANKFURT AND PARIS.

MR JACOBS WILL RETURN TO HONG KONG ON OCTOBER 5.

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