XN000022-1989-06-21 — Page 42

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21, 1989

1989

"TODAY (WEDNESDAY), THEY WILL ATTEND A DEBATE ON HONG KONG AT THE HOUSE OF LORDS IN THE AFTERNOON, PRECEDED BY A LUNCH WITH LORD BRAMALL, THE FORMER COMMANDER OF BRITISH FORCES IN HONG KONG. A SERIES OF TELEVISION, RADIO AND PRESS INTERVIEWS HAVE ALSO BEEN SCHEDULED.

SUPPORT AND

"THE TWO SENIOR MEMBERS HAVE RECEIVED A LOT OF OFFERS TO HELP FROM PEOPLE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, INCLUDING ORGANISATIONS SUCH AS THE HONG KONG ASSOCIATION, THE HONG KONG LINK, THE HONG KONG FOUNDATION, THE HONG KONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AND MANY BIG FIRMS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AS WELL AS INDIVIDUALS. BOTH DAME LYDIA AND MR ALLEN LEE WERE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THEIR SUPPORT.

"THEY HAVE ALSO RECEIVED TREMENDOUS MEDIA INTEREST AND SUPPORT IN THE UNITED KINGDOM. TO QUOTE ONE EXAMPLE, THE TIMES HAS COME OUT WITH A VERY ENCOURAGING EDITORIAL SAYING: 'THEY (DAME LYDIA AND MR LEE), SEEK, MOREOVER, EXACTLY WHAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAS ALWAYS PROCLAIMED TO BE ITS OWN GOAL: CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG IN THE YEARS LEADING TO ITS TRANSFER то CHINESE SOVERIGNTY, AND THE LONG-TERM WELFARE AND PROSPERITY OF ITS PEOPLE,

TALK OF 3.25 MILLION PEOPLE POURING INTO THIS COUNTRY IF THEIR RIGHT OF ABODE HERE WERE RESTORED TO THEM IS IRRESPONSIBLE SCARE-MONGERING.

THIS IS ENTIRELY WITHIN ITS (HMG'S) POWER. IT IS A MORAL OBLIGATION. IT MAKES POLITICAL SENSE.

WITHOUT AN ESCAPE ROUTE, HOWEVER, DEMOCRACY IS AN ILLUSION.'

"MANY PEOPLE IN HONG KONG HAVE WRITTEN DIRECTLY ΤΟ THE PRIME MINISTER. AS FAR AS OMELCO IS CONCERNED, WE HAVE RECEIVED A TREMENDOUS VOLUME OF ORAL AND WRITTEN SUBMISSIONS IN SUPPORT OF ITS POSITION. UP TO 11 AM TODAY, WE HAVE RECEIVED LETTERS FROM ORGANISATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS WITH MORE THAN 4,000 SIGNATURES. THESE ORGANISATIONS INCLUDED ALL THE 19 DISTRICT BAORD CHAIRMEN, FEDERATION OF HONG KONG INDUSTRIES HONG KONG SUBSIDIZED SECONDARY SCHOOLS COUNCIL AND CITY POLYTECHNIC OF HONG KONG STUDENTS' UNION. THESE LETTERS WILL BE FORWARDED TONIGHT BY SPECIAL DELIVERY SERVICE TO THE TWO SENIOR MEMBERS FOR PRESENTATION TO THE PRIME MINISTER ON FRIDAY.

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"MEANWHILE, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE REMINDED THAT THEY MAY CONTACT THE OMELCO SECRETARIAT ON 5-264027 DURING OFFICE HOURS SHOULD THEY WISH TO SEEK INFORMATION OR ADVICE ON THE NATIONALITY ISSUE.

"REGARDING PRIME MINISTER'S COMMENT AT THE QUESTION TIME IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS YESTERDAY THAT BRITAIN WOULD SEEK THE HELP OF THE WHOLE WORLD IF THE HONG KONG REFUGEE PROBLEM EMERGED, MEMBERS OF THE OMELCO SPECIAL WORKING GROUP THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS NOT WORKABLE FOR TWO REASONS.

"FIRSTLY, WE CANNOT SEE HOW WE CAN BE TREATED AS REFUGEES BEFORE 1997 WHEN HONG KONG IS STILL UNDER BRITISH ADMINISTRATION.

"SECONDLY, WHAT WE ARE REALLY ASKING HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT TO DO IS TO STABILISE HONG KONG NOW AS WE WANT TO STAY HERE. THEREFORE, PROVIDING AN EXIT WHEN PROBLEMS ARISE WOULD BE TOO LATE. THIS WILL NOT STABILISE HONG KONG. IT IS A QUESTION OF CONFIDENCE."

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