XN000022-1989-07-05 — Page 4

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 5, 1989

"I BELIEVE IT IS ACCEPTED BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT

CONTENTION THE BUT IS STRONG.

OBLIGATION OVERWHELMINGLY

THAT THE THE

18 IS THAT

RISK FACT THAT UNDER HIGH BECAUSE IT IS ASSUMED TO BE A

KONG

WOULD PEOPLE THREE MILLION OVER CIRCUMSTANCES EXERCISE THEIR RIGHTS TO SETTLE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM." HE SAID.

CERTAIN

HONG

"WE HAVE ARGUED FORCEFULLY THAT WE CANNOT ENVISAGE A ANYTHING LIKE THAT NUMBER WOULD EVER WISH TO GO TO

SITUATION THE UNITED

WHERE KINGDOM.

"THE PRACTICAL PROBLEMS

ALONE

IN SUCH INVOLVED

A

MASSIVE

NUMBER OF PEOPLE MOVING SEVEN THOUSAND MILES TO SET UP HOME ELSEWHERE MAKE IT A TOTALLY UNREAL PROPOSITION." SIR DAVID POINTED OUT.

SIX PER MOVE

HONG KONG AND THERE WAS THE ASSESSMENT, WIDELY ACCEPTED IN

ONLY THAT TO INDICATE SUPPORTED BY RECENT OPINION POLLS, CENT OF HONG KONG PEOPLE WHO WERE GIVEN THE RIGHT OF ABODE WOULD TO THE UNITED KINGDOM, THE CHIEF SECRETARY NOTED.

"50

THE

THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE EVER LIKELY TO SEEK TO SETTLE IN UK MUST NOT ONLY BE LESS THAN 3.2 MILLION, IT MUST BE A SMALL FRACTION OF THAT NUMBER," HE SAID.

IN

RIGHT OF

THE CHIEF SECRETARY SAID THERE WAS ONE FURTHER ILLOGICALITY THE CASE WHICH WAS BEING MADE AGAINST THE GRANTING OF THE ABODE.

MORE LIKELY "IT IS THAT IN A SITUATION IN WHICH IT WOULD BE

TO THE UNITED KINGDOM, THAT A VERY LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WOULD GO

BRITISH THAT IS THE SO-CALLED ARMAGEDDON SCENARIO, THEN OF COURSE THE

EITHER THE GOVERNMENT WOULD MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR PEOPLE TO GO TO UNITED KINGDOM OR TO SOME OTHER COUNTRIES.

ACHIEVE

"THE INFERENCE ONE DRAWS FROM THAT IS THAT IN ORDER TO SETTLEMENT ELSEWHERE WE HAVE TO BE IN A POSITION TO DEMONSTRATE THAT HONG KONG, SIR HUGE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE WOULD INDEED WISH TO LEAVE DAVID SAID.

||

"THE IRONY AND CONTRADICTION CONTAINED IN THAT PROPOSITION NOT ESCAPED US, HE ADDED.

HAS

DIFFICULT ΤΟ

DEMOCRACY ELECTED

NOTING THAT THE POLITICAL ARGUEMENTS WERE MORE DEAL WITH, SIR DAIVD SAID BRITAIN WAS A DEMOCRACY AND IN A

THEIR THROUGH AS EXPRESSED PEOPLE THE VIEWS OF THE REPRESENTATIVES MUST PREVAIL.

ΓΙ

THE UK AND BRITISH "IF WE

TO CONVINCE THE PEOPLE OF FAIL

PROGRESS. PARLIAMENT OF THE STRENGTH OF OUR CASE WE WILL MAKE LITTLE SIR DAVID SAID.

ALL SYMPATHY

"IT IS MOST IMPORTANT THEREFORE THAT WE SHOULD REMEMBER IN OUR CAMPAIGNING THAT OUR AIM MUST BE TO GAIN THE SUPPORT AND OF BRITISH PEOPLE AND BRITISH MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT,

HE ADDED.

/"HOWEVER STRONGLY .......