XN000022-1994-11-03 — Page 3

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1994

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I MADE TWO SPEECHES THE FIRST TO THE ANNUAL TDC DINNER, WHICH GROWS IN IMPORTANCE AS AN OCCASION EVERY YEAR, AND WHICH WAS SO WELL ATTENDED THIS YEAR THAT IT TOOK PLACE IN AN EVEN LARGER VENUE. I ALSO GAVE THE ANNUAL SWISS BANK LECTURE AT THE SWISS BANK CORPORATION A SPEECH LARGELY DEVOTED TO PROMOTING THE CASE, THE HONG KONG CASE, FOR FREE TRADE.

WHILE I WAS IN LONDON, THIS COUNCIL OF COURSE FINISHED DEBATING MY ADDRESS LAST MONTH. THE CHIEF SECRETARY AND HER COLLEAGUES GAVE THE ADMINISTRATION'S RESPONSE IN SPEECHES WHICH I ENTHUSIASTICALLY ENDORSE. I AM ALWAYS IN FAVOUR OF VIGOROUS DEBATE; I AM SURR HONOURABLE MEMBERS ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT IS RIGHT FOR THE ADMINISTRATION

TO PUT ITS CASE AS VIGOROUSLY AS HONOURABLE MEMBERS DO. I NOW LOOK FORWARD TO HONOURABLE MEMBERS' QUESTIONS.

MR MARTIN BARROW:

GOVERNOR, COULD YOU BRIEF US ON THE DISCUSSIONS

YOU HAD IN LONDON REGARDING STEPS TO BE TAKEN TO ENCOURAGE VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS TO VOLUNTEER TO RETURN HOME, AND IN PARTICULAR ON WHAT HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT WILL DO TO HELP? AND SECONDLY, WILL THE UNITED KINGDOM RESTART ITS SCHEME TO TAKE REFUGEES TO SET AN EXAMPLE TO OTHER POTENTIAL RECIPIENTS? THANK YOU.

GOVERNOR:

FIRST OF ALL, THE QUESTION OF VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS IS ON THE AGENDA, PERHAPS I SHOULD ADD ALAS, ON EACH OF MY VISITS BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE NOT ACHIEVED THE SUCCESSFUL REPATRIATION WHICH I THINK THE WHOLE COMMUNITY WANTS TO SEE. THE VOLUNTARY RETURN OF MIGRANTS WHICH WAS GOING AT A REASONABLY EXPEDITIOUS PACE LAST YEAR AND IN THE LATTER STAGES OF THE PREVIOUS YEAR, HAS RECENTLY UNFORTUNATELY SLOWED AND WE NEED TO, AS WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO DO, TO INCREASE OUR EFFORTS TO ENCOURAGE MIGRANTS TO RETURN HOME TO A COMMUNITY, ΤΟ A COUNTRY WHICH THE REST OF THE WORLD RECOGNISES AS BEING ON THE PATH TO EXPONENTIAL GROWTH. I THINK SOME OF THOSE WHO DEDICATE THEIR LIVES TO LOOKING AFTER OR HELPING MIGRANTS IN OUR CAMPS WHO HAVE DONE 90 IN OTHER PLACES AROUND THE WORLD DO WONDER AT WHY IT IS THAT MIGRANTS INSIST ON STAYING IN HONG KONG RATHER THAN RETURNING. BECAUSE THE CONDITIONS IN VIETNAM IN COMPARISON WITH CONDITIONS FROM WHICH OTHERS HAVE FLED AROUND THE WORLD ARE OBVIOUSLY MUCH BETTER. WE'LL CONTINUE BOTH THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION AND THROUGH OTHER WAYS TO ENCOURAGE RETURN, AND I THINK THAT THE HONOURABLE MEMBER LIKE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL RECOGNISES THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ORDERLY REPATRIATION PROGRAMME AS PART OF OUR OVERALL STRATEGY.

OF WITH

ALSO

ON THE UNITED KINGDOM'S OBLIGATIONS TO TAKE THEIR OWN SHARE REFUGEES, I AM SURE THE HONOURABLE MEMBER IS AS FAMILIAR AS I AM THE NUMBER TAKEN INTO THE UNITED KINGDOM IN THE PAST, AND FAMILIAR WITH RECENT HOME OFFICE STATEMENTS ON THE POSITION. WE HAVE MADE OUR VIEWS CLEAR TO HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO So, BECAUSE THE

INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY HAS REFUGEES WHICH WE WANT то SEE

RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THOSE

WHOLE

IT

DISCHARGED.

/DR DAVID

L