XN000022-1997-02-27 — Page 7

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Governor: Can I distinguish between the importance of discouraging illegal and encouraging legal immigration on the one hand, and secondly, the impact on our educational service caused by the increase in the number of children who are coming into Hong Kong very often with language difficulties and other difficulties in adjusting.

On the first of the honourable gentleman's questions, there is certainly, as far as I recall, no recent evidence of an increase in illegal entry into Hong Kong by people from China, whether or not people with the right of abode after July 1, 1997, and I think that is probably partly a result of the sensible decision that we took, I think, with the support of this Council, in the middle of 1995, to increase the numbers coming here legally.

On the second question, we do recognise the additional educational demands and we do recognise that we can only meet those demands by the allocation of additional resources, and that is something which the Financial Secretary and the Secretary for Education and Manpower are well aware of.

Mr Martin Lee: Governor, I expect a very short answer from you to my long leading question.

Governor: Sounds rather dangerous.

Mr Martin Lee: The Foreign Secretary has recently called for the Chinese Ambassador to the United Kingdom and raised with him the recent remarks by the Chinese Foreign Minister, Qian Qichen, in relation to certain human rights, or the press freedom in particular, in relation to Hong Kong. And since then, I understand that China, of course, did not give a satisfactory answer or assurance. And also, in relation to the vexed question of whether or not the setting up of the provisional legislature would constitute a breach of the Joint Declaration, again the Foreign Secretary recently, in Hong Kong, said although it is still on the table - that is his suggestion, his request that China should submit to the jurisdiction of the ICJ on this question is still on the table, he could take it no further.

Now, in relation to both matters, are you going to press the British Government to refer both questions to the Security Council of the United Nations in order that it would make the request to the International Court of Justice for an advisory opinion?

Governor: I noted that the honourable gentleman had made this suggestion the other day, and I don't think I give away any secrets in saying that I think it was part of the conversation which the honourable gentleman had with the Foreign Secretary in London. But I am not quite sure that I understand what the purpose or value of that particular proposal would be. Let me explain myself.