XN000022-1990-07-19 — Page 2

THURSDAY, JULY 19, 1990

1

HIGH-LEVEL MINISTERIAL CONTACTS NEEDED BETWEEN BRITAIN, "HINA

* * * * *

IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THERE SHOULD BE HIGH-LEVEL MINISTERIAL CONTACTS BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA, THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).

РО DISTRICT,

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER A VISIT TO SHAM SHUI

BRITISH SIR DAVID SAID THE VISIT TO PEKING NEXT WEEK OF

MINISTER OF STATE OF FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE, MR FRANCIS MAUDE, WAS IMPORTANT.

SIR DAVID SAID WHAT CONCERNED US WAS THAT ESTABLISHING COMMUNICATION AT MINISTERIAL LEVEL.

CHINA.

MR MAUDE WOULD BE BETWEEN BRITAIN AND

"I

"AND THAT I THINK IS HELPFUL TO US IN HONG KONG, HE SAID.

WHEN ASKED TO COMMENT WHETHER THE NATIONALITY PACKAGES AND THE BILL OF RIGHTS WOULD AFFECT THE ATMOSPHERE OF TALKS IN PEKING, THE GOVERNOR SAID HE DID NOT THINK THAT SHOULD SERIOUSLY INFLUENCE MR MAUDE'S VISIT.

AND THAT

ON THE PROBLEM OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, SIR DAVID SAID THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ARRESTED HAD BEEN GOING WELL OVER A HUNDRED A DAY WAS A SERIOUS SITUATION THAT WE MUST TRY TO DEAL WITH.

HE ATTRIBUTED THE REASON FOR

UNEMPLOYMENT

"WE

THE

PROBLEM TO

PARTLY,

IN CHINA, AND PARTLY, A LACK OF LABOUR HERE.

TO PREVENT ILLEGAL USE OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, SIR DAVID SAID,

IMPRESSION AT MUST NOT GIVE ANY

ALL THAT THERE

BE WOULD

A SLACKENING OF OUR EFFORTS IN DEALING WITH ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION PROBLEM. THERE WOULD BE NO SLACKENING AND THERE WOULD NEVER BE AN AMNESTY,

Th

NOTING THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM OF OVERCROWDING IN OUR PRISONS

IN OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS CAUGHT WORKING

HONG WITH THE IMPRISONMENT

OF DEALING WITH KONG, HE SAID, "WE'VE GOT TO TRY TO SEE BETTER WAYS PEOPLE WHO EMPLOY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AT WORK SITES.

ON

"IT'S VERY DIFFICULT AT THE MOMENT TO PIN DOWN WHO PRECISELY

IF IS RESPONSIBLE.

PENALITIES WE CAN DO THAT, AND WE CAN IMPOSE THOSE PEOPLE, THEN, THAT MIGHT HELP TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM."

WAYS AT

ΤΟ WOULD BE TO BE AFTER

DAVID SAID THE GOVERNMENT WOULD SIR

BE WORKING TACKLE THE PROBLEM OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. AND IF THERE

THAT WOULD HAVE LEGISLATIVE CHANGES TO BE BROUGHT IN, THEN,

RESUMED AS POSSIBLE WHEN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL DONE AS SOON THE SUMMER RECESS.

THE GOVERNOR ALSO

FREQUENTLY IN CONCERNED ABOUT

SAID WITH THE TOUCH

THE PROBLEM.

THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAD ARE CHINESE

BEEN

WHO AUTHORITIES

ALSO

/HE SAID