XN000022-1991-09-04 — Page 3

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1991

WELL, THE FIRST MESSAGE I BRING TO HONG KONG IS THAT I AM VERY PLEASED TO BE BACK IN HONG KONG. IT'S MANY YEARS SINCE I WAS LAST HERE. I AM VERY PLEASED TO BE BACK. I'M MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DISCUSSIONS I SHALL HAVE. TO WHAT I SHALL SEE IN THE NEXT DAY OR SO AND ΤΟ THE OPPORTUNITY TO LISTEN TO THE VIEWS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. I THINK IT IS AN IMPORTANT TIME TO DO THAT. AND I AM VERY PLEASED TO DO IT. I COMB HERE DIRECTLY FROM PEKING. THE VISIT TO PEKING WAS IN THE INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, TO ENSURE THAT WE COULD SIGN THE AIRPORT AGREEMENT AND THAT COULD PROCEED, BOTH IN ITS OWN RIGHT AND BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT THAT WILL HAVE ON THE FUTURE PROSPERITY IN KONG AND I ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY THERE OF ADVANCING WORK IN THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP. PREVIOUSLY IT WAS GETTING STUCK, I THINK IT WILL NOW ADVANCE. AND I THINK THAT'S VERY MUCH IN THE INTEREST OF HONG KONG TOO.

Q. DO YOU THINK THAT THE DETAINEE 13 GOING TO BE

HONG

RELEASED IN HONG KONG. EVEN IF HE ISN'T, IS THAT A GOOD GESTURE BY THE CHINESE?

A. WELL, I'LL HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY WHEN IT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENED. I DISCUSSED THAT MATTER YESTERDAY. I MADE MY VIEWS ABOUT IT QUITE CLEAR. I VERY MUCH HOPE THAT WE WILL SEE SOME MOVEMENT, WHEN WE HAVE THE MOVEMENT, WHEN THE DETAINEE 18 BACK HERE IN HONG KONG, I SHALL FEEL

FREE TO COMMENT.

Q. BUT THEY HAVE SAID THAT THEY INTEND TO RELEASE HIM. DO YOU REGARD THAT AS A HELPFUL GESTURE?

BACK

A. YES. IT IS A HELPFUL GESTURE, BUT I WOULD LIKE THE DETAINEE HERE IN HONG KONG WITH HIS FAMILY WHERE HE BELONGS. AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS, I'LL BE VERY PLEASED. BUT LET'S WAIT AND SEE IT HAPPEN.

.. AND WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO DEMONSTRATE BY GOING BOATPEOPLE CAMP?

ΤΟ THE VIETNAMESE

A. WELL, I WANT TO SEE THE PROBLEM FOR MYSELF. SINCE MY PERIOD AS FOREIGN SECRETARY AND ONWARDS, I'VE BEEN FAMILIAR WITH THE PROBLEM. I'VE LIVED WITH IT, NOT IN THE SAME WAY THAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG HAVE LIVED WITH THE PROBLEM, BUT IT IS ONE THAT HAS BEEN THERE. IT'S A SERIOUS PROBLEM FOR THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. IT'S SERIOUS FOR THE PEOPLE, THE VIETNAMESE PEOPLE THEMSELVES, WHO HAVE COME HERE IN THE WHOLLY FALSE BELIEF THAT THERE IS A PLACE FOR ALL OF THEM IN THE WEST. THAT ISN'T THE CASE. I WISH TO GO AND LOOK AT THE CAMPS FOR MYSELF, JUDGE THE PROBLEM. I THINK IT'S WISE TO DO SO WHILE I'M HERE.

Q TELL US A LITTLE BIT HOW YOU HOPE TO RETURN THEM TO VIETNAM?

A. WELL. I THINK I'D BETTER GO TO THE CAMP. CONFERENCE TOMORROW AND WE'LL DISCUSS ALL OCCASION.

Q.

+

I'LL HAVE A FULL PRESS THESE MATTERS ON THAT

PLAYING, REASSURED

THERE ARE A LOT OF FEARS HERE, AS YOU KNOW, THAT CHINA 13 AS IT WERE TOO GREAT A ROLE ALREADY. DO YOU COME FROM CHINA THAT THAT IS NOT NOW THE CASE.

/A.

NO.