XN000022-1989-05-15 — Page 2

MONDAY, MAY 15, 1989

CHANGE OF FIRST ASYLUM POLICY MUST BE LOOKED AT SERIOUSLY: GOVERNOR

IT

WHAT FOR

AS A COMMUNITY, HONG KONG WILL HAVE TO LOOK SERIOUSLY AT MEANS TO CHANGE THE POLICY OF PLACE OF FIRST ASYLUM VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY WHAT THAT MEANS IN PRACTICE, THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON, SAID TODAY (MONDAY).

"IT MEANS USING FORCE TO TURN PEOPLE AWAY AND IT MEANS TAKING ALL THE CONSEQUENCES OF THAT, INCLUDING THE POSSIBILITY THAT PEOPLE MIGHT BE DROWNED IN THE PROCESS, SIR DAVID SAID.

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER A VISIT то WAN CHAI DISTRICT, HE SAID HONG KONG MADE ITS OWN DECISIONS ON MOST OF THE POLICY MATTERS CONCERNING THE BOAT PEOPLE.

"BUT DON'T LET'S PRETEND TO OURSELVES THAT THESE ARE SIMPLE DECISIONS," SIR DAVID SAID.

"IT SOUNDS VERY EASY TO SAY THAT WE SHOULD CEASE TO BE A PLACE OF FIRST ASYLUM.

"IT IS SOMETHING WHICH IS VERY EASY ΤΟ SAY BUT IT'S NOT SOMETHING WHICH IS EASY TO DO."

HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS DETERMINED ΤΟ APPLY THE PRESENT POLICY OF ALLOWING PEOPLE TO LAND BUT SCREENING THEM.

"IT MEANS THAT THOSE WHO ARE SCREENED OUT AS NOT BRING

CAME REFUGEES MUST GO BACK TO THE PLACE THEY

FROM. AND

THE THAT'S POLICY WE NEED TO WORK AT NOW," THE GOVERNOR SAID.

"WE NEED TO PERSUADE THE INTERNATIONAL

THE RIGHT POLICY.

COMMUNITY THAT THAT'S

"WE NEED TO PERSUADE VIETNAM THAT THAT'S THE RIGHT POLICY THE AND THAT THEY SHOULD CO-OPERATE WITH IT LIKE ANY OTHER COUNTRY IN INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WOULD CO-OPERATE IN TAKING BACK ITS OWN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.' SIR DAVID SAID.

SERIES

WERE ASKED IF THERE

ANY PLANS TO ACCOMMODATE REFUGEES ON OUTLYING ISLANDS, THE GOVERNOR SAID: "WE'RE LOOKING AT A WHOLE OF OPTIONS. WE HAVEN'T ACTUALLY RULED OUT ANYTHING AT ALL.

OF PEOPLE IN MIND

"WE FACE AT THE MOMENT A HUGE PROBLEM OF THE NUMBER ARRIVING, SO WE HAVE TO LOOK AT A SERIES OF OPTIONS AND KEEP A SERIES OF PLANS DEPENDING ON HOW MANY PEOPLE CONTINUE TO COME.

"ONE OF THE OPTIONS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS OUTLYING ISLANDS. IT'S NOT A SIMPLE OPTION, BUT THEN WE DON'T HAVE ANY SIMPLE OPTIONS.

THE GOVERNOR REFUTED SUGGESTIONS THAT HONG KONG WAS FORCING THE REFUGEES INTO CRAMPED CONDITIONS IN ORDER TO MAKE A BETTER CASE AT THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN GENEVA.

/"WITH 50 .***