XN000022-1989-01-11 — Page 41

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 1989

I HAVE DEVOTED SO MUCH TIME TO THE VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE BECAUSE OF ITS GREAT IMPORTANCE AND THE CONCERN EXPRESSED TO ME ABOUT IT. BUT OF COURSE I HAVE DISCUSSED OTHER ISSUES, NOT LEAST THE VITAL QUESTION OF THE BASIC LAW, NOW UNDER DISCUSSION AT A PLENARY MEETING OF THE BASIC LAW DRAFTING COMMITTEE IN CANTON. I WILL MAKE ONLY TWO POINTS. FIRSTLY, I HAVE BEEN ENCOURAGED BY THE WAY IN WHICH THE DRAFTERS HAVE RESPONDED TO THE CONCERNS EXPRESSED IN HONG KONG ABOUT THE FIRST DRAFT. SECOND, THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WILL STUDY THE NEXT DRAFT VERY CAREFULLY AND, AS WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO DO, WILL WISH TO SATISFY OURSELVES THAT IT DOES REFLECT THE PROVISIONS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION.

I SEE IT AS ENORMOUSLY IMPORTANT TO REMAIN IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH THE AFFAIRS OF HONG KONG. VISITS SUCH AS THIS ONE ARE EXTREMELY USEFUL. I ALWAYS WELCOME THE CHANCE TO HEAR A WIDE RANGE OF VIEWS: THIS I HAVE CERTAINLY DONE OVER THE PAST FIVE DAYS.

MAGGIE NELSON (RTHK): COULD YOU ELABORATE ON THE VIGOROUS

DIPLOMATIC CAMPAIGN?

LORD GLENARTHUR: WELL, IT IS PRECISELY WHAT I SAID IT 19. WE HAVE OF COURSE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH OTHER COUNTRIES, EXPLAINING THE PROPOSAL THAT WE HAVE PUT AND WE ARE NOW COLLECTING THEIR RESPONSES. OF COURSE WE HAVE ONLY HAD INITIAL RESPONSES SO FAR AS I SAID IN THE STATEMENT. THEY WILL, OF COURSE, BE LOOKING AT THE PROBLEMS, LOOKING AT THE ISSUE THEMSELVES.

MAGGIE NELSON: AND WERE YOU ENCOURAGED BY THE INITIAL RESPONSE?

LORD GLENARTHUR: YES, I WAS ENCOURAGED.

MAGGIE NELSON: BUT WHY?

LORD GLENARTHUR:

BECAUSE THE IMMEDIATE RESPONSES ARE ENCOURAGING BECAUSE NOBODY HAS RULED OUT THE POSSIBILITY. THERF ARE SOME POSITIVE SIGNS. RATHER THAN GOING INTO THE CONFIDENTIAL NATURE OF DIPLOMATIC PROCEDURES, IT IS A POSITIVE SIGN AND AN ENCOURAGING ONE.

CHAN CHEUK-HAY (TVB); MAY I ASK IN CHINESE

LORD GLENARTHUR: YES.

CHAN CHEUK-HAY (QUESTION ASKED IN CANTONESE): LORD GLENARTHUR, YOU SAID YESTERDAY THAT THE VIETNAMESE REFUGER PROBLEM WAS AN INTERNATIONAL PROBLEM. BUT AS WE ALL KNOW, HONG KONG'S VIETNAMESE REFUGEE PROBLEM IS CREATED BY BRITAIN'S POLICY. IN 1979 BRITAIN ON BEHALF OF HONG KONG MADE A POMMITMENT THAT HONG KONG SHOULD BE A PORT OF FIRST ASYLUM FOR VIETNAMESE REFUGEES, LAST YEAR, BRITAIN ALSO ASKED HONG KONG TO ADOPT A SCREENING POI t

WAR BRITAIN PREPARED TO

SHOULDER THE RESPONSIBILITES WHEN DRUIDING ON SUCH POLICIES? IS UK PREPARED ΤΟ ACCEPT ALL VIETNAMESE REFUGEES AND BOAT PEOPLE WHEN 1!K WITHDRAWS FROM HONG KONG IN 1997?

/LORD GLENARTHUR: