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TELEGRAM NUMBER 772 OF 22 APRIL
M. Wellw
Pa SCORRI. pa
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, HKGO BRUSSELS (JONES), HKGO NEW YORK (DORWARD), HKGO WASHINGTON (LO), HKGO GENEVA (FOR THE ATTENTION OF CARTLAND)
MIPT: HONG KONG PRESS COMMENT ON SCORRI REPORT
COVERAGE APRIL 19/20, 1985
RECEIVE
DESK
INDEX
RTHK RADIOS 1 AND 3 GAVE A PREVIEW OF THE REPORT ON THE EVE OF ITS RELEASE ON MORNING NEWS PROGRAMMES ON APRIL 18 (HKLIME). SUBSEQUENT COVERAGE OF THE REPORT WAS MORE EVIDENT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE MEDIA.
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THE ITEM WAS FACTUALLY REPORTED ON THE FRONT PAGES OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPERS (THE LEAD ITEM FOR THE SCM POST AND LEAD ITEM FOR ENGLISH RADIO NEWSCASTS ON APRIL 13. FIVE INDEPENDENT CHINESE LANGUAGE PAPERS GAVE THE REPORT MINOR COVERAGE. ALL MEDIA EMPHASISED TWO OF THE MAIN RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE REPORT ABOLITION OF THE CLOSED CAMPS POLICY AND THE ACCEPTANCE FOR SETTLEMENT IN HK OF ETHNIC CHINESE REFUGEES FROM VIETNAM.
THERE HAS BEEN LESS EMPHASIS ON ANOTHER RECOMMENDATION, THAT BRITAIN SHOULD RELAX ITS OWN IMMIGRATION RULES TO ADMIT MORE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES AS AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO OTHER COUNTRIES TO TAKE MORE REFUGEES. IN A FOLLOW-UP IN THE SCM POST, FOR EXAMPLE, THIS POINT IS ONLY TOUCHED UPON AT THE TAIL END OF ITS REPORT.
THE FRONT PAGE LEAD HEADLINE OF THE SCM POST ON APRIL 20 READ: ''UPROAR GREETS REFUGEE MOVE' AND A SUB-HEADLINE SAID THE UK WAS URGED TO DO MORE THAN TALK. A SIMILAR LINE WAS TAKEN BY THE STANDARD IN ITS INSIDE PAGE COVERAGE. THE PAPERS SAID A LOUD ROAR OF CRITICISM FROM SEVERAL LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS YESTERDAY GREETED THE HOUSE OF COMMONS REPORT AND OTHER CIVIL RIGHTS CAMPAIGNERS URGED BRITAIN TO DO MORE THAN TALK IN DEALING WITH HK'S REFUGEE PROBLEM.
THE GOVERNMENT STATEMENT WELCOMING THE REPORT WAS CARRIED IN MINOR COVERACE BY SEVEN PAPERS, INCLUDING THE LEFT-WING TA KUNG PAO AND CHING PO, TODAY. ORIENTAL DAILY NEWS QUOTED SOURCES SAYING THAT THE BRITISH FOREIGN OFFICE WAS DISCUSSING THE FUTURE OF THE CLOSED CAMPS WITH THE HK GOVERNMENT TO SEE WHETHER THE CAMPS SHOULD BE ABOLISHED. THE SOURCES SAID THAT A REPORT ON THE ISSUE WOULD BE READY IN TWO MONTHS AND THE FOREIGN OFFICE'S FINAL DECISION WOULD MAINLY DEPEND ON THE ATTITUDE OF THE HK GOVERNMENT. THE PAPER ALSO QUOTED CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE SECURITY BRANCH, SIMON SIT SAYING THAT THE REPORT INDICATED THAT BRITAIN WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE VR PROBLEM IN HK. HE NOTED THAT AFTER STUDYING THE REPORT, THE GOVERNMENT WOULD SEND ITS COMMENTS TO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT FOR CONSIDERATION.
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