XN000022-1993-11-03 — Page 22

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1993

HE SAID IT HAD NOT BEEN POSSIBLE, IN THE TIME AVAILABLE, ΤΟ MAKE A THOROUGH SEARCH OF THE ARCHIVES RELATING TO THIS PERIOD.

HB SAID THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT HAD ADVISED THAT THEY HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY APPROACHES ON THIS SUBJECT FROM HONG KONG RESIDENTS OR ASSOCIATIONS.

"WB DO NOT KNOW HOW MANY WOMEN SUFFERED IN THIS WAY, NOR HOW MANY, IF ANY, ARE STILL ALIVE. NONE HAS APPROACHED US FOR ASSISTANCE, NOR OTHERWISE BECOME KNOWN TO US.

THE THEM.

HE SAID IF ANY SUCH CASES DID BECOME KNOWN TO THE GOVERNMENT, GOVERNMENT WOULD CONSIDER SYMPATHETICALLY HOW IT COULD ASSIST

"BUT THE SCOPE FOR LEGAL REDRESS IS CONSTRAINED BY THE SAN FRANCISCO PEACE TREATY OF 1951, HE ADDED,

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OVERSEAS PUBLICITY FOR PHASED BN(0) REGISTRATION PROGRAMME

* * * * *

THE GOVERNMENT HAS ARRANGED DIFFERENT WAYS ΤΟ PUBLICISE OVERSEAS THE PHASED BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS) (BN(0)) REGISTRATION PROGRAMME, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, MR ALISTAIR ASPREY, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON EDWARD HO IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR ASPREY SAID THESE ARRANGEMENTS ARE:

* REGULAR ADVERTISEMENTS ON THE TIMETABLE FOR REGISTRATION AND REMINDERS FOR EACH PHASE ARE PLACED IN NINE OVERSEAS CHINESE NEWSPAPERS AND IN THREE HONG KONG MAGAZINES WHICH ARE VRRY POPULAR AMONG OVERSEAS HONG KONG RESIDENTS;

*

INFORMATION LEAFLETS ON THE PHASED REGISTRATION PROGRAMMB HAVE BEEN SENT TO OVERSEAS BRITISH POSTS, UK PASSPORT OFFICES, THE UK IMMIGRATION SERVICE AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OVERSEAS OFFICES FOR DISSEMINATION ΤΟ HONG KONG BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORY CITIZENS (BDTCS) ABROAD.

THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICES IN LONDON, GENEVA, WASHINGTON, NEW YORK, SAN FRANCISCO, TORONTO AND TOKYO HAVE BEEN EMPHASISING THE PHASED REGISTRATION PROGRAMME IN THEIR CONTACTS WITH THE OVERSEAS HONG KONG COMMUNITIES;

* RADIO TAPES ON THE PHASED REGISTRATION PROGRAMME HAVE BEEN

SENT TO OVERSEAS CHINESE RADIO STATIONS FOR BROADCASTING; AND

ANNOUNCEMENTS ARE BROADCAST THROUGH TELEVISION AND RADIO STATIONS IN HONG KONG APPEALING TO LOCAL PEOPLE SPECIFICALLY TO INFORM THEIR FRIENDS OR RELATIVES ABROAD OF THE PHASED REGISTRATION PROGRAMME.

THE SECRETARY SAID THE GOVERNMENT MAINTAINED CLOSE CONTACT WITH OVERSEAS OFFICES AND WITH OVERSEAS BRITISH POSTS.

/AS FOR