XN000022-1989-01-11 — Page 39

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 1989

LORD GLENARTHUR GIVES PRESS CONFERENCE

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THE FOLLOWING IS A FULL TRANSCRIPT OF THE PRESS CONFERENCE GIVEN TODAY (WEDNESDAY) BY LORD GLENARTHUR, MINISTER OF STATE AT FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE WITH RESPONSIBILITY FOR HONG KONG:

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LORD GLENARTHUR: THIS HAS BEEN MY FOURTH VISIT TO HONG KONG 18 MONTHS. AS MINISTER WITH SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITY I REGARD IT AS ESSENTIAL TO KEEP IN CLOSE AND REGULAR TOUCH WITH DEVELOPMENTS IN THE TERRITORY.

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AS IN THE PAST, I HAVE HAD A VERY FULL AND WORTHWHILE VISIT. HAVE HAD TALKS WITH THE GOVERNOR AND SENIOR HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS. I HAVE HAD MEETINGS WITH MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS. I HAVE HAD OPPORTUNITIES TO HEAR THE VIEWS

OF URBAN AND REGIONAL COUNCILLORS, BUSINESSMEN AND A WIDE VARIETY OF OTHER HONG KONG PEOPLE.

I HAVE ALSO VISITED VIETNAMESE REFUGEE CENTRES IN THE TUEN MUN AREA. 1 HAVE SEEN THE SPLENDID NEW EXHIBITION AND CONVENTION CENTRE. AND 1 HAVE VISITED JUNK BAY NEW TOWN AND THE SITE OF THE THIRD UNIVERSITY.

MY VISIT HAS BEEN DOMINATED BY THE PROBLEM OF THE 25,000 VIETNAMESE REFUGEES AND BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG. I HAVE THE GREATEST ADMIRATION FOR THE WAY IN WHICH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, THE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, THE POLICE AND THE VOLUNTARY AGENCIES HAVE COPED WITH THIS INTRACTABLE PROBLEM OVER THE PAST VERY DIFFICULT MONTHS.

LET ME SAY AT ONCE THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT ARE COMMITTED TO DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO HELP. WE ARE NOT DUCKING OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO DO SO. LET ME DESCRIBE WHAT WE ARE DOING.

FIRST AS REGARDS THE 15,000 VIETNAMESE WHO HAVE REFUGEE STATUS. AS YOU KNOW WE RECENTLY ANNOUNCED OUR READINESS TO TAKE A FURTHER 1,000 REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG ON TOP OF THE MORE THAN 13,000 WE HAVE ALREADY TAKEN OVER THE NEXT TWO TO THREE YEARS. THAT WOULD AMOUNT TO A DOUBLING OF OUR PRESENT INTAKE OF REFUGEES.

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WE HAVE SAID THAT WE WILL DO THIS PROVIDED OTHER RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES ALSO AGREE TO TAKE MORE. SOME IN HONG KONG HAVE CRITICISED LACK OF COMMITMENT ON OUR PART. I CANNOT SEE WHY. WE NEED THE HLEP OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO SEE THE REFUGEES RESETTLED. SURELY 1T MAKES SENSE TO USE OUR WILLINGNESS TO TAKE MORE AS A LEVER TO GET MORE RESETTLEMENT PLACES FROM OTHER COUNTRIES?

WE HAVE MOUNTED A VIGOROUS DIPLOMATIC CAMPAIGN TO PERSUADE OTHER COUNTRIES TO FOLLOW OUR LEAD AND ALTHOUGH IT IS DAYS, I AM ENCOURAGED BY THE FIRST RESPONSES WE HAVE REPRESENTATIONS.

STILL EARLY HAD TO OUR

/SECONDLY, THERE

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