BRINGING TO TWELVE THE NUMBER RECEIVING MEDICAL TREATMENT. TWO PATIENTS WHO HAVE COMPLETED TREATMENT HAVE BEEN PUT BACK ON < BOARD, AS NIGHT FELL THE REFUGEES' SPOKESMAN TOLD ME THAT ALL WAS QUIET. THERE WAS NOT MUCH ROOM TO LIE DOWN. SOME PEOPLE HAD TO SLEEP SITTING UP AND THEY COULD SEE THE LIGHTS OF HONG KONG. THEY LOOK VERY BEAUTIFUL, HE SAID.
EXTRACT THREE:
MEANWHILE A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSION FOR REFUGEES, MR ANGELO RASANAYAGAM, HAS TODAY (THURSDAY) CALLED ON ALL ASIAN COUNTRIES TO LET SUCH SHIPS LAND AT THEIR INTENDED PORT OF CALL, SO THAT THEIR REFUGEES COULD BE PROPERLY PROCESSEN FOR RESETTLEMENT ELSEWHERE. MR RASANAYAGAM SAID THAT IN THE PAST HONG KONG HAD BEEN GENEROUS IN GRANTING TEMPORARY ASYLUM TO THE SO- CALLED BOAT PEOPLE, WHEN THE TERRITORY WAS A SHIP'S FIRST PORT OF CALL. BUT WITH OVER FOUR THOUSAND VIETNAMESE REFUGEES ALREADY TAKING SHELTER IN HONG KONG IN ADDITION TO THOUSANDS OF IMMIGRANTS FROM CHINA - THE UNITED NATIONS OFFICIAL EXPRESSED FEAR THAT HONG KONG COULD BE SO SWAMPED WITH PEOPLE THAT IT MIGHT HAVE TO ABANDON THE FIRST PORT OF CALL PRINCIPLE.
OWEN
FILES
HKIGD (6)
UND
FED
MR STRATTON
-2-
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.