PICTURES OF LUME OF THOSE PEOPLE IN THE BOATS ALONGSIDE THE DOCKYARD THERE, WAITING FOR A WEEK OR SO BEFORE THEY CẦN BE
TAKEN SHORE IN THE MOST APPALLING CONDITIONS. THIS IS IN NO
SENSE THE FAULT OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT. THIS IS THE FAULT
OF THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT, AND THIS SHOULD BE PINNED FAIRLY
AND SQUARELY UPON THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT WHOSE POLICIES ARE
LEADING TO THIS DREADFUL AND INHUMAN TREATMENT OF HUMAN
BEINGS. WHAT ONE DOES ABOUT IT OF COURSE IS A DIFFERENT MATTER,
AND I THINK THERE ARE TWO THINGS THAT IMMEDIATELY ONE CAN DO
ABOUT IT. FIRST, LIKE THE 7 COUNTRIES AT TOKYO, THE 9 COUNTRIES
OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY AND THE 5 COUNTRIES OF ASEAN, WE CAN
CONDEMN THE ACTIONS OF THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT IN THE HOPE
THAT THE SHAME OF WORLD OP INION WILL MAKE THEM REVERSE THEIR
POLICIES. NO COUNTRY LIKES TO BE PUT IN THE DOCK. THE SECOND
THING YOU CAN DO IS TO CALL A CONFERENCE OF THE COUNTRIES OF
THE WORLD SPONSORED BY THE UNITED NATIONS IN WHICH WE CAN SEEK TO
ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE SUFFERING AND CURE SOME OF THE PROBLEMS WHICH THIS EXODUS OF REFUGEES HAS CAUSED. BUT OF COURSE IF IT GOES ON, ON THE SCALE WHICH IT MIGHT, IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO SEE HOW IT CAN BE SOLVED AT ALL. I SUPPOSE IT IS
JUST SOLUBLE WITH THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE HERE NOW. BUT THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT ARE WRONG IF THEY THINK THAT THEY CAN
GO ON AT THE SAME RATE JUST BECAUSE THERE IS A UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE WHOSE PURPOSE IS TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
QUESTION: IN VIE OF THE ADDITIONAL BURDEN OF 2667 REFUGEES LANDED YESTERDAY FROM THE SKYLUCK, IS THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT PREPARED TO TAKE A LARGE CUOTA OF REFUGEES FROM HERE?
LORD CARRINGTON: WELL WHAT ALL THE GOVERNMENTS SAID AT TOKYO WAS THAT THEY WOULD HELP AND MAKE A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION, EITHER IN TAKING REFUGEES OR IN CONTRIBUTING, HAVING REGARD TO THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES OF EACH COUNTRY.
AND OF COURSE WE WILL DO THAT. BUT I DO THINK YOU HAVE TO HAVE REGARD TO THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES. OVER THE
YEARS WE HAVE TAKEN A VERY LARGE NUMBER OF IMMIGRANTS IN BRITAIN, AND IN PARTICULAR WE TOOK - I AM NOT AT ALL SURE THAT MANY OTHER COUNTRIES WOULD HAVE DONE THE SAME WE TOOK THE UGANDAN ASIANS
AND THE KENYAN ASIANS IN VERY LARGE NUMBERS INDEED, AND WE NOW HAVE A POPULATION IN MY COUNTRY, WHICH IS NOT VERY LARGE IN AREA, OF SOME 2 MILLION IMMIGRANTS.MOREOVER, WE HAVE COMMITMENTS TO THE DEPENDANTS OF IMMIGRANTS, WHO ARE COMING IN ALL THE TIME. CONSEQUENTLY THIS IS A A VERY DIFFICULT PROBLEM FOR US. BUT WE SHALL CERTAINLY CONSIDER IT, AND CONSIDER IT WITH THE SYMPATHY AND COMPASSION WHICH THE SUBJECT DESERVES.
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