XN000022-1989-10-10 — Page 2

TUESDAY. OCTOBER 10. 1989

GOVERNOR HOPES ARRANGEMENTS ON RETURN OF II'S WOULD RESUME SOON

THE GOVERNOR. SIR DAVID WILSON, SAID HE HOPED THE LONG-STANDING ARRANGEMENTS ON THE RETURN OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS TO CHINA WOULD RESUME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO THAT WE GET BACK TO A NORMAL ARRANGEMENT ON ALL MATTERS AFFECTING THE BORDER.

"THAT IS CERTAINLY GOING TO BE OUR OBJECTIVE," SIR DAVID SAID.

SPEAKING ΤΟ REPORTERS AFTER ATTENDING AN EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING THIS (TUESDAY MORNING. THE GOVERNOR SAID HE WAS CONCERNED AT THE ACTION THAT THE CHINESE HAD TAKEN ON THE QUESTION OF RETURNING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS TO CHINA.

ASKED FOR HIS COMMENT THAT CHINA HAD REPEATEDLY ACCUSED HONG KONG OF VIOLATING AN AGREEMENT CONCERNING THE RETURN OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND OVERSTAYERS, SIR DAVID SAID: "IN HANDLING THE YANG YANG CASE. WHICH WAS A VERY DIFFICULT CASE BECAUSE THE WAY IT WAS USED BY VARIOUS GROUPS FOR PROPAGANDA PURPOSES, IN HANDLING IT, WE HAVE NOT IN ANY WAY GONE AGAINST THE 1982 UNDERSTANDING."

HE POINTED OUT THAT THESE LONG-STANDING ARRANGEMENTS DATED BACK TO THE 1970'S.

"IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT IN HANDLING THESE MATTERS WE SHOULD TRY TO DEAL WITH THEM IN A WAY WHICH DOES NOT DO DAMAGE ΤΟ CONFIDENCE." THE GOVERNOR SAID.

"IT'S MUCH BETTER IF, BETWEEN CURSELVES AND THE CHINESE, WE CAN ARRANGE THINGS AND GET BACK TO NORMAL HANDLING OF MATTERS ON THE BORDER, BECAUSE THAT IS THE WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT CONFIDENCE IS MAINTAINED IN HONG KONG. SIR DAVID SAID.

DIRECTORATE APPOINTMENTS AT RATING AND VALUATION DEPT

THE

GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED TODAY (TUESDAY) THAT MR GORDON BLENKINSOP, COMMISSIONER OF RATING AND VALUATION, WILL RETIRE ON OCTOBER 16 THIS YEAR.

MR BARRY WOODROFFE, DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF RATING AND VALUATION, WILL SUCCEED MR BLENKINSOP AS COMMISSIONER AND MR PANG TSAN-WING, ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER OF RATING AND VALUATION, WILL BECOME DEPUTY COMMISSIONER.

BRIEF BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES ON THESE OFFICERS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

/MR GORDON