XN000022-1991-07-27 — Page 2

SATURDAY, JULY 27, 1991

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LORD CAITHNESS IMPRESSED BY HK DONATIONS

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THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS WITH SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR HONG KONG, LORD CAITHNESS SAID TODAY (SATURDAY) THAT HE WAS IMPRESSED BY THE ENORMOUS SPONTANEITY OF THE HONG KONG PEOPLE IN MAKING VOLUNTARY DONATIONS TO THE FLOOD VICTIMS IN CHINA.

"I THINK IT'S VERY IMPRESSIVE; I THINK IT'S VERY GOOD FOR THE FUTURE BECAUSE IT SHOWS JUST HOW GENEROUS HONG KONG PEOPLE HAVE BEEN AND THE AFFINITY THEY HAVE WITH MAINLAND CHINA,' HE SAID.

"

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER VISITING WONG TAI SIN DISTRICT, LORD CAITHNESS SAID: "IT'S JUST TO ME THAT IT HAS HAD A MARKED EFFECT ON A LOT OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD THAT HONG KONG HAVE RESPONDED IN THIS WAY."

"I THINK THAT WHEN YOU'VE GOT A HUMANITARIAN SITUATION LİKE

THIS WHEREVER

IT

IT IS; WHETHER IT IS AN EARTHQUAKE OR VOLCANO IN PHILIPPINES, OR

CHINA, AN EARTHQUAKE IN RUSSIA OR FLOODS IN QUITE RIGHT THAT THE WORLD RESPOND IN A GENEROUS MOOD, HE SAID.

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THE

IS

"I THINK THAT IS ALL PART OF THE WORLD WORKING MUCH CLOSER TOGETHER THAN IT DID BEFORE. NOW THAT'S GOOD FOR ALL OF US," HE ADDED.

LORD CAITHNESS SAID BRITAIN HAD MADE AN INSTANTANEOUS AND A VERY GOOD FIRST DONATION (ABOUT 100,000 STERLING), WHICH WAS OFTEN THE WAY WHEN YOU HAVE A DISASTER.

"YOU MAKE AN INITIAL DONATION AND THEN YOU ASSESS THE SITUATION AND THE FULL CONSEQUENCES. AND QUITE OFTEN IF YOU LOOK BACK YOU'LL FIND THAT BRITAIN MAKES AN INITIAL PAYMENT AND THEN A FURTHER PAYMENT AFTER THAT," HE SAID.

WHEN ASKED ABOUT A QUERY RAISED BY A MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL CONCERNING SOME FAMILIES IN HONG KONG BEING

BY THE SPLIT BY

INTO THE BRITISH NATIONALITY ACT, LORD CAITHNESS SAID HE WOULD LOOK MATTER WHEN HE RETURNED TO BRITAIN.

"THE 81 ACT WAS A WORLDWIDE ACT. IT DIDN'T RELATE TO HONG KONG THERE WAS A CUT-OFF DATE THAT APPLIED

THE WORLDWIDE.

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES OF HONG KONG I SAID I WOULD LOOK AT, HE SAID.

AND

TT

KONG AND

ACCOMPANIED BY THE REGIONAL SECRETARY FOR HONG KONG KOWLOON, MR DAVID LAN, AND THE WONG TAI SIN DISTRICT OFFICER, MR IN BRIAN LAU, THE MINISTER FIRST WENT TO THE ROOFTOP OF KAM WAN HOUSE CHOI HUNG ESTATE FOR A PANORAMIC VIEW OF HONG KONG'S THE TATE'S CAIRN TUNNEL, AND THE FLYOVER NETWORK.

TUNNEL,

LONGEST

P.D.

WAS

MR DEPARTMENT, ON THE TUNNEL WHICH

A CHIEF HIGHWAY ENGINEER OF THE HIGHWAYS ORANGE, WAS PRESENT TO BRIEF THE MINISTER OFFICIALLY OPENED ON JULY 1 THIS YEAR.

/AFTER A