XN000022-1989-07-05 — Page 5

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 5, 1989

"HOWEVER

OUR ISSUES, STRONGLY WE MAY FEEL ON PARTICULAR

FOR HONG KONG IN THE INTEREST

KEEPING BRITISH SUPPORT LIES IN DIFFICULT YEARS THAT LIE AHEAD," THE CHIEF SECRETARY SAID.

OBJECTIVE WELL EARNED FRIENDLY

"NOTHING WE DO HERE SHOULD RUN COUNTER TO THAT MAIN AND CERTAINLY WE MUST BE CAREFUL TO AVOID DAMAGING THE REPUTATION OF HONG KONG PEOPLE AS HARWORKING, PEACEABLE AND MEMBERS OF ANY COMMUNITY," SIR DAVID SAID.

THE CHIEF SECRETARY NOTED THAT SINCE THE PUBLICATION OF THE FAC GOVERNMENT REPORT. MINISTERS HAD INDICATED PUBLICLY THAT THE BRITISH INTENDED TO INTRODUCE A SCHEME WHICH WOULD MAKE SOME HONG KONG PEOPLE IN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS.

PROVISION FOR

SCHEMI

"ALTHOUGH THE DETAILS ARE NOT CLEAR, WE ASSUME THAT THE IS AIMED AT THOSE WHO MIGHT OTHERWISE MIGRATE TO OTHER COUNTRIES," THE CHIEF SECRETARY SAID.

PUT

SIR DAVID SAID WHILE THE DECISION TO IMPLEMENT THE ARRANGEMENTS WAS ONE FOR THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT. THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAD FORWARD STRONGLY THRER POINTS FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION IN DEVISING SCHEME.

"FIRST, IF IT IS TO BE EFFECTIVE IN TALENTED PEOPLE FROM HONG KONG IT MUST BE NUMBERS.

ANY

THE STEMMING

FLOW OF IN TERMS OF GENEROUS

ANY LIMITED

"SECONDLY,

THE DIVISIVENESS WHICH IS INHERENT IN SCHEME SHOULD BE REDUCED TO A MINIMUM.

"THIRDLY, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, ANY SCHEME SHOULD HAVE AS

HE SAID. OBJECTIVES THE NEED TO RETAIN PEOPLE IN HONG KONG,

*

ITS

REFUSE

"I THINK IT WOULD BE CHURLISH TO SUGGEST THAT WE SHOULD ΤΟ ACCEPT ANY ARRANGEMENTS WHICH WOULD REASSURE A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE HERE AND MIGHT INDEED HELP TO STEM THE INCREASED OUTFLOW OF OF RECENT PEOPLE WHICH WOULD OTHERWISE BE AN INEVITABLE CONSEQUENCE EVENTS IN PEKING," SIR DAVID NOTED.

A LIMITED

OF OUR OF THE

"BUT, WE HAVE ALREADY MADE IT CLEAR, THAT ALTHOUGH

WITH SOME DEAL SCHEME MAY HELP US IN PRACTICAL WAYS TO IMMEDIATE DIFFICULTIES, IT IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR THE GRANTING RIGHT OF ABODE TO BRITISH NATIONALS IN HONG KONG," HE ADDED.

THE KONG'S

THE CHIEF TURNING ΤΟ THE PROBLEM OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE,

SECURED TO HAVE SECRETARY SAID

WAS IT

ACHIEVEMENT NO MEAN WHOLEHEARTED SUPPORT OF THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE FOR HONG POLICY ON VBP.

"UNTIL

THE

MEMBERS OF

THE FAC CAME

TO

HONG

KONG IT WAS UNITED KINGDOM ALMOST SHOULD BE DOING

DIFFICULT ENOUGH TO PERSUADE ANY BACKBENCH MP IN THE THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM OVER THE VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE AND IMPOSSIBLE TO GET THEM TO ACCEPT THAT PARLIAMENT ANYTHING ABOUT IT, SIR DAVID SAID.

IF

/HE POINTED