XN000022-1989-06-12 — Page 2

MONDAY, JUNE 12, 1989

CONFERENCE WILL TRY TO PERSUADE HANOI

TO STOP PEOPLE LEAVING GOVERNOR

OF

ΤΟ

THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON, SAID ONE OF THE OBJECTIVES THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INDO-CHINESE REFUGEES IN GENEVA IS PERSUADE THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT TO STOP THEIR OWN PEOPLE LEAVING AND PUT THEIR OWN HOUSE IN ORDER.

SPEAKING IN A DOCUMENTARY FILM ON VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE PRODUCED BY RTHK FOR SCREENING ON LOCAL TELEVISION TONIGHT (MONDAY), THE GOVERNOR SAID ANOTHER OBJECTIVE OF THE CONFERENCE WAS TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT HONG KONG GOT MUCH MORE SUBSTANTIAL RESETTLEMENT OFFERS FROM ALL ROUND THE WORLD.

ALSO, THE GOVERNMENT WANTED ARRANGEMENTS PUT IN PLACE FOR PEOPLE WERE SCREENED OUT AS ECONOMIC MIGRANTS TO GO BACK TO THEIR OWN COUNTRY, HE ADDED.

COMMENTING ON A SUGGESTION THAT THE FIRST ASYLUM POLICY SHOULD BE ABOLISHED, SIR DAVID SAID IT WAS VERY EASY SOMETIMES TO SAY BUT IT WAS NOT REALLY AS SIMPLE AS THAT,

BOATS

"IN PRACTICE, YOU ARE DEALING WITH PEOPLE IN THESE TINY LITTLE

UNSEAWORTHY, TRYING TO GET IN HERE.

WHICH

"WE ARE AT THE END OF THE LINE, WE'RE NOT LIKE SINGAPORE A SIMPLY SAY GO ON, INDONESIA IS AROUND THE CORNER, OR MALAYSIA IS AROUND THE CORNER, WE ARE THE END OF THE LINE," HE SAID.

THE GOVERNOR SAID IF HONG KONG STOPPED PEOPLE COMING IN, WE HAD A HIGH RISK THAT THEY WOULD SIMPLY TRY TO COME IN ANYHOW. "80 THAT IS A PRACTICAL PROBLEM, HE SAID.

SIR DAVID ALSO POINTED OUT THAT HONG KONG HAD ΤΟ CONSIDER ITSELF AS PART OF THE WORLD, AND WE HAD TO CONSIDER THE WAY THE WORLD REACTED TO WHAT WE DID HERE.

"SO GIVING UP FIRST ASYLUM IS A PHRASE WHICH SOUNDS TERRIBLY SIMPLE, BUT IN PRACTICE IT ISN'T THAT SIMPLE,

** HE ADDED.

THE GOVERNOR SAID HE WAS ENCOURAGED BY WHAT THE FOREIGN SECRETARY, SIR GEOFFREY HOWE. HAD SAID BECAUSE IT SHOWED THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WAS FULLY AWARE OF THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE PROBLEM.

"AND IN THE SAME WAY, THE FACT THAT MRS THATCHER CHOSE THIS AS ONE OF THE VERY FEW WORLD SUBJECTS THAT SHE WANTED TO DISCUSS WITH PRESIDENT BUSH SHOWS THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT REALLY IS TAKING THE PROBLEM SERIOUSLY, AND THAT IS ENCOURAGING,

" HE SAID.

/2

---- - - -