XN000022-1989-02-26 — Page 2

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1989

VISIT TO LONDON USEFUL

J

THE GOVERNOR

THE PRIME MINISTER, NRS THATCHER, TOOK A CLOSE AND A VERY SUPPORTIVE INTEREST IN HONG KONG WHEN SHE MET THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON IN LONDON LAST WEFK.

RETURNING TO HONG KONG THIS | SUNDAY) MORNING, THE GOVERNOR TOLD REPORTERS AT THE AIRPORT THAT THE VISIT TO LONDON WAS A USEFUL ONE AND HE HAD A CHLANCY TO BRIEF THE PRIME MINISTER PERSONALLY BOTH ON THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF HONG KONG AND OF THE VARIOUS ISSUES WHICH WERE OF CONCERN TO US.

SIR DAVID SAID THE VISIT HAD GIVEN HIM A CHANCE ΤΟ BRIEF THE FOREIGN SECRETARY, SIR GEOFFREY HOWE, SENIOR OFFICIALS IN THE FOREIGN OFFICE AS WELL AS SENIOR OFFICIALS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY WITH TRE OBJECTIVE OF TALKING ΤΟ THEM ABOUT TRADE AND INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN HONG KONG, MEDIUM TERM AND LONG TERM,

IN ADDITION, SIR DAVID ALSO MET SOME MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT BROUGHT THEM UP-TO-DATE ON HONG KONG.

AND

OF

ASKED ABOUT MRS THATCHER'S VIEW ON MANDATORY REPATRIATION VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE, THE GOVERNOR SAID IT WAS THE CUSTOM IN BRITAIN THAT DECISIONS WERE COLLECTIVE BY THE CABINET AND ONE DIDN'T QUOTE WHAT AN INDIVIDUAL. MINISTER OR INDIVIDUAL SUCH AS THE PRIME MINISTER THOUGHT.

THAT THE POLICY WE ADOPTED PUT FORWARD FROM HERE. WAS THAT IS BRITISH MINISTERS SO THE POLICY THAT WE PUT

"THE POINT 1 MADE IN LONDON WAS BACK IN JUNE OF LAST YEAR, A POLICY WE THEN APPROVED BY BRITISH MINISTERS. COLLECTIVELY. THAT MEANS THE CABINET. FORWARD WAS THE ONE WHICH WAS APPROVED BY BRITISH MINISTERS COLLECTIVELY," SIR DAVID SAID.

"THE POINT THAT 1 HAVE BEEN EXPLAINING IN LONDON IS THAT WE HAVE A PROBLEM HERE WHICH IS RESULTED IN US HAVING TO SCREEN PEOPLE WHO ARE ARRIVING TO FIND WHO ARE GENUINE REFUGEES AND WHO ARE NOT.

ין* I

"GENUINE REFUGEES WE MUST TRY TO RESETTLE.

FOLLOWS THAT THOSE WHO ARE NOT GENUINE REFUGEES HAVE ONLY ONE PLACE THAT THEY GO BACK TO AND THAT IS THEIR OWN COUNTRY

VIETNAM.

MUST

"THAT IS THE SAME AS ANY PLACE IN THE WORLD. PEOPLE WHO GO FROM A COUNTRY TO ANOTHER ONE ILLEGALLY, ENTER ILLEGALLY, GO BACK ΤΟ THAT COUNTRY. UNITED STATES DOES EXACTLY THE SAME FOR PEOPLE FROM CENTRAL AMERICA. OTHER COUNTRIES SEND PEOPLE BACK TO PLACES WHERE THEY HAVE COME FROM," THE GOVERNOR ADDED.

ASKED WHETHER CHINA WOULD BE MORT WILLING TO CREATE CONDITIONS TO HALT THE BRAIN DRAIN, SIR DAVID SAID THE POLICY THAT THE HONG GOVERNMENT ADOPTED WAS, FIRST OF ALL. IF PEOPLE WANTED TO KONG WE SHOULD NEVER STOP THEM.

KONG

LEAVE

HONG

/WE WOULD