TNAG-1633-FCO40-2249-Ministerial-visits-from-the-UK-to-Hong-Kong--including-visit-1988 — Page 56

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100363 MDHIAN 3700

Q.

(STUART PALLISTER): BUT NOW THAT THE GENERAL ELECTION IS OUT OF THE WAY, WOULD THIS NOT BE A GOOD TIME TO BASICALLY TAKE MORE REFUGEES?

A: WELL, IT'S AN INTERESTING POINT OF VIEW TO HOLD. I THINK THE THE WAY IMPORTANT THING IS TO LOOK TO THE FUTURE REALLY ON THIS. THAT WE ARE GOING TO SORT IT OUT IN THE END IS BY PERSUADING THE VIETNAMESE THAT THEY ARE NOT DOING GOOD TO THEIR PEOPLE IF THEY CONTINUE TO PUT THEM IN SUCH POSITION AS THEY LEAVE VIETNAM IN THE FIRST PLACE AND COME TO HONG KONG OR COME TO ANYWHERE ELSE. THAT'S THE IMPORTANT THING TO SOLVE AND THAT'S WHERE I THINK WE MUST REALLY TURN OUR ATTENTION IN THE WAY THAT I'VE DESCRIBED.

Q.

INSTEAD OF TALKING (BERNARD FONG, SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST): ABOUT 9,000 VIETNAMESE REFUGEES LET'S TALK ABOUT 5.5 MILLION HONG KONG PEOPLE. IN THE 1984 WHITE PAPER IT SAYS NO CONCLUSIONS HAVE

NOR BEEN REACHED ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, ABOUT THE INTRODUCTION OF A MINISTERIAL SYSTEM AND THESE MATTERS

NOW THE LATER STAGE'', WE WILL BE CONSIDERED AT A LATER STAGE. SUPPOSE, IS

THE PRESENT GREEN PAPER IN WHICH MYSTERIOUSLY THE QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN OMITTED. COULD YOU, SIR, EXPLAIN THE REASON, OR THE REASONS FOR THE OMISSIONS?.

A: WELL, I AM NOT SURE THAT IT IS REALLY USEFUL TO CONCENTRATE TOO MUCH ON HISTORY IN ALL THIS. THE PRESENT REVIEW, WHICH IS TAKING PLACE NOW, CONCENTRATES ON A NUMBER OF IMPORTANT POINTS INCLUDING THOSE ON WHICH A COMMITMENT WAS GIVEN IN 1984 TO REVIEW THEM IN 1987. THAT IS WHERE WE STAND.

Q.

(BERNARD FONG): BUT THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL IS NOT BEING AT THE PRESENT STAGE?

A:

REVIEWED

THE ANSWER WELL, I THINK I HAVE JUST GIVEN YOU, WITH RESPECT, TO YOUR QUESTION. THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT ISSUES BUT IT WAS CLEAR THAT WHEN WE WERE APPROACHING THE 1987 REVIEW, THAT REVIEW WOULD CONCENTRATE ON CERTAIN ISSUES, NOT ON EVERY SINGLE ISSUE THAT WAS FEATURED IN THE 1984 REVIEW, AND THAT IS PRECISELY WHAT IS HAPPENING AT THE MOMENT.

WILSON

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