XN000022-1990-01-31 — Page 2

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31, 1990

1

BRITAIN'S DECISION ON PASSPORTS WELCOMED

THE

*

GOVERNMENT'S BRITISH

KONG

DECISION

LAST

FAMILIES HAS

BEEN

TO DECEMBER

WELCOMED

PASSPORTS TO 50,000 HONG TERRITORY, THE HONG KONG COMMISSIONER IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, YAXLEY, SAID RECENTLY.

SPEAKING AT THE ROYAL

GRANT THE

IN MR JOHN

SAID THE WHOLE BRITAIN, AND MAKE

HE LEAGUE, OVER-SEAS PURPOSE OF THE EXERCISE WAS NOT TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO COME TO BUT TO GIVE THEM SUFFICIENT CONFIDENCE TO STAY IN HONG KONG IT WORK.

ARE THE KEY PLAYERS IN ENCOURAGE THEM TO THE

"THE HEADS OF THESE 50,000 FAMILIES HONG KONG'S SUCCESS STORY. IF NOTHING WAS DONE TO

THEM, WOULD EMIGRATE WITHIN STAY THEN MANY, PROBABLY MOST NEXT FEW YEARS WITH CATASTROPHIC EFFECT FOR HONG KONG'S ECONOMY.'

OF

IT WAS AN INSURANCE AND A CONFIDENCE BUILDING MEASURE, HE SAID, AND IT WAS GRATIFYING TO SEE THAT THE BRITISH SENSE OF FAIR JUSTICE

PREVAILED IN

RESPONSIBILITY.

THIS

LAST

MAJOR

EXERCISE

OF

PLAY AND IMPERIAL

THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO CONVINCE THE BASIC LAW SHOULD ENSHRINE THE REGARDING DEMOCRACY, HE SAID.

ANOTHER CONFIDENCE BUILDING MEASURE WAS THE CURRENT

CHINESE GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE

EFFORT BY

WISHES

OF

THAT THE HONG KONG

MR YAXLEY TOLD HIS AUDIENCE THAT THERE

OF GOVERNMENT AND, FOR A MORE DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM PROGRESSIVE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF LEGISLATURE.

DIRECTLY

WAS MOUNTING PRESSURE

PARTICULAR, IN ELECTED SEATS IN

A THE

"

"IT IS THEREFORE A MATTER OF GREAT INTEREST AT THIS TIME AS

THE 1991 WHAT ARRANGEMENTS THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WILL MAKE FOR 1995 ELECTIONS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, ARRANGEMENTS FOR REMAINS RESPONSIBLE.

то

AND WHICH IT

MR YAXLEY WAS CRITICAL OF AMERICA'S STAND OVER THE QUESTION

VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE THE MANDATORY REPATRIATION OF

OF

WHO

WERE NOT

POLITICAL REFUGEES.

TO DECLINE THE MANDATORY HE

DECISION AMERICA'S SAID

"AND I MIGHT REPATRIATION PROGRAMME WAS DISAPPOINTING FOR HONG KONG, SAY, NOT A LITTLE HYPOCRITICAL, BEARING IN MIND WHAT THE AMERICANS WITH SOME OF THOSE WHO ATTEMPT TO ENTER THEIR COUNTRY ILLEGALLY."

DO

PEOPLE WHEN THE

HE POINTED OUT THAT THERE WAS NO QUESTION ABOUT FORCING ON TO BOATS AND AEROPLANES AT GUNPOINT. THIS DID NOT HAPPEN FIRST MANDATORY REPATRIATION EXERCISE TOOK PLACE.

ARRANGEMENTS THE

CIVILISED COUNTRY FOR

WERE DEPORTATION.

THE

SAME THE

AS SORT

THOSE

OF

APPLIED ARRANGEMENTS

IN

ANY

APPLY ALMOST DAILY AT HEATHROW AIRPORT WHEN AN IMMIGRANT ATTEMPTED ENTER THE UNITED KINGDOM ILLEGALLY.

THAT TO

/MR YAXLEY