TNAG-1754-FCO40-2474-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-debates-1988 — Page 232

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FRIDAY, JULY 1 1988

K.K. WONG (RTHK); GOING BACK TO THE DCA. SOME LEGCO MEMBERS CLAIM THAT ONLY A SLIDING SCALE OF SHARING WOULD BE FAIR TO HONG KONG, IN FACT, THE SLIDING SCALE METHOD WAS DISCUSSED NEGOTIATIONS BUT IT WAS RULED OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WOULD YOU EXPLAIN TO US WHY THIS METHOD WAS NOT ADOPTED?

DURING THE NEGOTIATIONS,

MADE,

LORD GLENARTHUR: WELL, YES, IT IS A CLAIM THAT'S BEEN KNOW. BUT THE FACT IS THAT THERE IS ALREADY A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN THE PROPORTION PAID BY HONG KONG. TEN PER CENT IS BUBSTANTIAL BY ANY STANDARD IN FACT. THEN YOU HAVE TO LOOK INTO THE FUTURE AND UNDERSTAND THAT FURTHER SAVINGS WILL COME FROM

RANGE OF OTHER MEASURES. THEN, FURTHER STILL, OVERALL COSTS WILL DECLINE AS THE PLANNED WITHDRAWAL WHICH I REFERRED TO EARLIER TAKES EFFECT, FINALLY, AS LEADING UP TO 1997.

AND

THE AGREEMENT HAS BEEN REACHED, EXCO HAVE ENDORSED IT, IT GOES TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE OF LECCO. THE IMPORTANT THING IS THEY SHOULD HAVE A CHANCE TO DISCUSS IT AND THAT IT SHOULD BE ENDORSED BY THEM.

NOW

THAT

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LEO DOBBS (AFP): GOING BACK TO THE VIETNAM QUESTION. OK, THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES ARE REGARDED AS ECONOMIC REFUGEES, THEY ARE BEING THOUGHT OF AS ECONOMIC REFUGEES NOW. 50, WHY DOESN'T BRITAIN PUMP MONEY INTO HANOT AS AUSTRALIA, JAPAN, SWEDEN HAVE BEEN DOING?

AND

I

LORD GLENARTHUR; THAT QUESTION HAS BEEN ASKED AS WELL, UNDERSTAND THE FORCE OF THE ARGUMENT BEHIND IT. ONE OF

OF THE DANGERS, OF COURSE, OF PUMPING MONEY INTO VIETNAM IN THE WAY THAT YOU SUGGEST IS THAT BY DOING SO, YOU HELP SUPPORT NOT THOSE WHO YOU WANT TO SUPPORT, WHO WANT TO LEAVE, BECAUSE OF THE ECONOMIC SITUATION, BUT HELPS SUPPORT VIETNAM MAINTAIN AN ARMY OF SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND ILLEGALLY OCCUPYING CAMBOADIA. NOW, YOU CAN'T JUST LOOK AT THE THING SINGLY, YOU'VE GOT TO TAKE THE INTERNATIONAL DIMENSION INTO ACCOUNT AND THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.

NOW, WHETHER OR NOT THERE ARE ANY CHANGES IN THAT IN DUE COURSE IS A MATTER OF CONJECTURE. I UNDERSTAND THE FORCE OF THE ARGUMENT BUT I HAVE TO SAY THAT THERE ARE VERY SERIOUS, VERY DANGEROUS CONSEQUENCES THAT COULD BE... FROM DOING IT.

TIME: 19:59:41

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