TNAG-0892-FCO40-1102-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 46

GPS 23004

UNCLASS ILD

Rif

FM KUALA LUMPUR 010255Z JULY

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

་

TELNO 232 OF 1 JULY

AND TO CO1 (FOO PLEASE PASS)

PRIORITY HONG KONG

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This Copy for:

sean/s...

1247

HKK 243/1.

Information only / Action on París)

R.A

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ROUTINE HANOI, PEKING, BANGKOK, SINGAPORE, JAKARTA, MANILA, WASHING -

TON, UKMIS NEW YORK AND UKMIS GENEVA

FOLLOWING FOR NEWS DEPARTMENT FROM FENN

1. THE SECRETARY OF STATE GAVE AN ON-THE-RECORD PRESS CONFERENCE AT KAI TAK AIRPORT, HONG KONG JUST BEFORE HIS

DEPARTURE ON 30 JUNE. FOLLOWING IS EDITED VERBATIM TEXT:

LORD CARRINGTON: PERHAPS I SHOULD EXPLAIN AT THE OUTSET

THAT AFTER THE SUMMIT IN TOKYO, IT SEEMED TOM ME IMPORTANT

AND MOST INTERESTING, TO COME, EVEN FOR ONLY A SHORT TIME,

TO HONG KONG ON MY WAY HOME. FIRST OF ALL TO SEE SOMETHING

OF THE REFUGEE PROBLEM, TO SEE SOMETHING OF THE PROBLEMS

OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION FROM

CHINA, TO SEE SOMETHING OF WHAT THEY HAVE DONE WITH REGARD

TO HOUSING, AND ALSO TO HAVE A WORD WITH THE SERVICES, TO SE WHAT THEY WERE DOING, WHICH PARTICULARLY INTERESTED ME AS A FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR DEFENCE. IN A RATHER SHORT,

BUT QUITE BUSY DAY, I HAVE MANAGED TO DO ALL THOSE THINGS,

AND I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASK ME SOME

QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TODAY. AFTER I LEAVE YOU WE GO TO KUALA LUMPUR WHERE I WILL SPEND 24 HOURS, 24 HOURS IN

DELHI, 24 HOURS IN BAGHDAD, AND THEN. PERHAPS 24 HOURS AT HOME BEFORE I GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.

QUESTION: IN WHAT WAY WOULD YOU SAY THAT YOUR VISIT

TO HONG KONG HAS INFLUENCED YOUR VIEWS ABOUT THE REFUGEE AND

IMMIGRANT SITUATION, AND WHAT YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO TO HELP?

LORD CARRINGTON: NOBODY WHO SAW WHAT I SAW TODAY COULD FAIL

TO HAVE BROUGHT DRAMATICALLY HOME TO THEM THE SCALE OF THE

HUMAN MISERY INVOLVED IN WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THE VIETNAMESE

REFUGEES. I AM GLAD THAT SO MANY OF YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SHOW

/PICTURES

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