XN000022-1990-01-15 — Page 4

MONDAY, JANUARY, 15, 1990

**WE

GUARANTEE DO THAT,

COULD HAVE GONE POR AN EASIER OPTION, INVOLVING THE OF SETTLEMENT WITHOUT FULL BRITISH CITIZENSHIP. WE DID NOT BECAUSE WE JUDGED THAT IT WAS CITIZENSHIP RATHER THAN ANYTHING LESS WHICH WOULD MOST ACHIEVE THE PURPOSE OF ENABLING PEOPLE TO STAY IN HONG KONG WITH CONFIDENCE," THE FOREIGN SECRETARY SAID.

"WE WANT PEOPLE TO CONTINUE TO CONTRIBUTE ΤΟ THE DYNAMIC PROSPERITY OF THIS TERRITORY. WE CHOSE THE HIGHER ROAD. OUR OBLIGATION UNDER THE JOINT DECLARATION TO MAINTAIN HONG KONG'S

AND STABILITY PROSPERITY MEANT THAT NOTHING LESS THAN THIS WOULD DO, WHATEVER THE DIFFICULTIES, HE SAID.

THE FOREIGN SECRETARY SAID THE SECOND CRUCIAL DECISION TAKEN BY BRITAIN BEFORE CHRISTMAS WAS TO AUTHORISE THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT то PROCEED WITH THE FIRST MANDATORY REPATRIATION OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE WHO HAD BEEN SCREENED OUT AS NON-REFUGEES.

"THIS WAS

NOT A

DECISION WHICH I RELISHED, NOR 18 IT AN OPERATION WHICH ANY OF THOSE INVOLVED LIKED HAVING TO CARRY OUT. BUT IT WAS

FROM CRITICISM RIGHT TO PROCEED, AND TO FACE THE INEVITABLE PEOPLE IN BRITAIN AND AROUND THE WORLD," MR HURD SAID.

CANNOT BE EXPECTED TO COPE

KONG HONG

INDEFINITELY WITH AN ENDLESS STREAM OF IMMIGRANTS FROM VIETNAM, MOST OF WHOM HAVE PROSPECT OF EVER FINDING A HOME IN THE WEST.

NO

"IT 18

THEREFORE IMPERATIVE THAT WE FIND EFFECTIVE WAYS OF DETERRING THIS FUTILE EXODUS AND THAT WE EMPTY THE CAMPS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. HONG KONG HAS SHOULDERED THIS BURDEN FOR TOO LONG," HE

ADDED.

ON THE BASIC LAW. THE FOREIGN SECRETARY SAID THAT THROUGHOUT THE DRAFTING PROCESS, WHICH HAD REACHED A CRUCIAL PHASE, HÙNG HONG PEOPLE HAD EXPRESSED THEIR OPINIONS ABOUT THE DRAFT IN A THOROUGH AND CONSTRUCTIVE WAY.

**I CONGRATULATE THEM ON WHAT I BELIEVE HAS BEEN A MATURE RESPONSE FROM AN INCREASINGLY MATURE POLITICAL COMMUNITY. THE VIEWS OF THIS COMMUNITY DESERVE THE CLOSEST POSSIBLE ATTENTION FROM THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR DRAFTING THE BASIC LAW," MR HURD SAID.

THE

"THE OUTCOME OF THIS PROCESS IS A MATTER OF MAJOR

GOVERNMENT. IT BRITISH

WILL BE A

LAW. CHINESE RESPONSIBILITIES AS CO-SIGNATORIES OF THE JOINT DECLARATION WE HAVE THE GREATEST POSSIBLE INTEREST IN A LAW INTENDED TO THE PROVISIONS OF THAT AGREEMENT," HE ADDED.

MEAN

CONCERN TO BUT OUR THAT IMPLEMENT

BUT THAT

ΤΟ

GET

OF

IN

"THE DRAFTING OF THE BASIC LAW IS A MATTER FOR CHINA. HAS NOT PREVENTED US FROM TAKING EVERY SUITABLE OPPORTUNITY ACROSS OUR VIEWS. IN DOING SO, WE HAVE ALWAYS RESPECTED THE WISHES THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT THAT THIS SHOULD BE DONE PRIVATELY AND CONFIDENCE, HE SAID.

/THE FOREIGN