XN000022-1996-01-09 — Page 4

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On the Question: Foreign Minister, good morning, I am from HK Cable TV. Vietnamese boat people issue the Chinese side have just said that the responsibility cannot leave to the SAR Government; and so, this government after 1997. But this problem, assuming that it will last up till 1997 because the UN Commission on Refugees in Hong Kong also is not so optimistic on that, so will leave past 1997; and up to that what the British side will do? This is the first question.

Another question is: the Security Secretary in Hong Kong, Peter Lai, will attend a UN Conference on Refugees by the 14th of this month. I wonder if he will still be the member of the British team or will be changed to the member of the Hong Kong team?

Mr Rifkind: I'm sorry, can you say that second question again? I didn't catch your point.

Question: Mr Peter Lai will attend a conference in this month; will he still be a member of the British team or a member of the Hong Kong team? Change to be a member.

Mr Rifkind: I am not familiar with the detail on the second point but I understand that that is indeed likely to be the case. On your earlier point, the whole objective of course is to have the repatriation of the Vietnamese completed before June of next year. That is our objective. A lot of progress has already been achieved. I believe that what we should all be concentrating on is getting that process complete within the time scale that I have referred to. If the Vietnamese Government carry out their responsibilities and adhere to their commitments, that will be achieved. And therefore the other questions that you're asking are essentially hypothetical. I believe that there is a good prospect of getting this matter resolved within the time scale. I have had to emphasise that our responsibility as the sovereign power ends on the 30th June next year. That doesn't mean we will lose interest in the subject. Of course any help that we can give thereafter we would wish to do so, but we will not have the sovereign responsibility, and that is a simple point of fact. But the objective and the overriding effort is to complete this particular policy in the time scale that we have indicated and that is what we will be addressing ourselves to.

Question: This seems to be a common theme throughout the two days that you have been here but with time running out and so many outstanding issues what impact or what can your government still do to pressure the Chinese to the bargaining table on some of these things? What bargaining chips do you still have left and what influence can you still have on talks?