XN000022-1989-11-29 — Page 10

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29,1989.

HIS SECOND CONCERN WAS THE FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF THIS MOVE FOR THE TERRITORY. HE WAS ADAMANT THAT HONG KONG SHOULD NOT BE CALLED UPON TO MAKE ANY MONETARY CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS THE MANDATORY REPATRIATION SCHEME.

HE SAID: "WE WOULD HAVE PAID MORE THAN HK$4 BILLION BY THE END OF THIS FINANCIAL YEAR, AS OPPOSED TO AN UP-TO-DATE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TOTAL CONTRIBUTION OF 49.33 MILLION POUNDS OR HK$600 MILLION TO THE UNHCR PROGRAMME, OF WHICH A MERE 11.63 MILLION POUNDS OR HK$142 MILLION WAS SPECIFICALLY PAID FOR HONG KONG. THIS REPRESENTS $15 PER CENT AND 3.6 PER CENT RESPECTIVELY OF OUR CONTRIBUTION," Y

HE REITERATED THAT THE VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE ISSUE WAS RELATED TO FOREIGN POLICY AND THUS ENTIRELY A MATTER, FOR THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT.

"SO MY ADVICE TO THIS COUNCIL WAS TO LET THEM DEC IDE AND LET THEM PAY HE SAID.

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HE URGED MEMBERS AND THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG NOT то CONTINUE TO MAKE THE MISTAKE OF TRYING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM THEMSELVES, THEREBY PLAYING INTO THE HANDS OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT.

"OTHERWISE, THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WILL GET RID OF A PROBLEM, BUT WE WILL GET ALL THE BLAME FOR IT," HE SAID.

HE SAID THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAD ALREADY SUCCEEDED IN PASSING THE BLAME TO HONG KONG BOTH IN THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY AND THE USA BY GIVING PEOPLE THERE THE IMPRESSION THAT IT WAS BEING FORCED TO ADOPT THE VERY UNPOPULAR POLICY OF MANDATORY REPATRIATION BECAUSE THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WERE MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR IT TO DO SO.

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"INDEED, IF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WERE TO ADOPT THE MANDATORY REPATRIATION POLICY DESPITE OBJECTIONS FROM THE UNHCR

THE U.S. GOVERNMENT, THEN IT SHOULD TAKE ALL THE BLAME, AND WE MUST NOT SHARE IT," HE SAID:

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MR LEE DOUBTED IF THE MANDATORY REPATRIATION POLICY WOULD EFFECTIVELY DETER VIETNAMESE PEOPLE FROM COMING TO HONG KONG,

CONTINUE WILL

"IF THE VIETNAMESE PEOPLE WERE STILL TO COME, DO WE TO PAY CONTRIBUTION IN RESPECT OF FUTURE ARRIVALS? AND IF WE DO, IT TURN INTO A VICIOUS CYCLE?" HE ASKED.

HE WAS ALSO WORRIED ABOUT THE LACK OF ASSURANCE THAT THE INVOLUNTARY RETURNEES WOULD NOT BE PERSECUTED BY THE GOVERNMENT. HE STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF AN "ADEQUATE SYSTEM". FOR OTHERWISE HONG KONG WOULD BE IN BREACH OF THE OF "NON-REFOULEMENT" UNDER CUSTOMARY AND GENERAL INTERNATIONAL LAW.

VIETNAMESE MONITORING PRINCIPLE

MR LEE ALSO WARNED AGAINST THE POSSIBILITY OF THE U.S. CONGRESS FORCING ITS GOVERNMENT TO IMPOSE ECONOMIC SANCTIONS AGAINST HONG KONG, OR BE EVEN LESS GENEROUS TO HONG KONG IN TRADE QUOTAS.

FINALLY, HE

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