TNAG-1524-FCO40-2088-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-Sub-Committee-on-Race-Relations-and--1986 — Page 72

PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION

For WRITTEN ANSWER on

17. febway.

Head of HKD

Please submit

a draft Answer

& Background

to Parliamentary Unit

before NOON

FRI 14 FEB

Party

Text of Question:-

с

38 Mr Keith Best (Ynys Môn): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Common- wealth Affairs, what contingency arrangements have been made with the Hong Kong Government in respect of Vietnamese still in refugee camps at the time of transfer of sovereignty in 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Mu Tim Renton

authorised

ANSWER:

None. It is our firm intention that the Vietnamese refugee problem in Hong Kong should be resolved well before 1997. In any event, the Joint Declaration on the future of Hong Kong provides for the continuation after 30 June 1997 of Hong Kong's present social and legal systems and so any refugees then in Hong Kong should retain their current status.

(Head of Dept