TNAG-1856-FCO40-2631-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-memoranda-and-minutes-of-me-1989 — Page 77

HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

5 July 1989

香港立法局

一九八九年七月五日

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body of the report for example. The principle of "right of abode of last resort" is certainly a complex one but it is a concept that might not be impossible to work out, given the will and the intellect.

In the various amendments proposed to paragraph 4.16 the FAC was almost equally divided on this issue, with only a narrow rejection for the suggestion that the British Government should explore within the European Community the possibility of granting full British citizenship to the BDTC population of Hong Kong in the event of a fundamental breach or abrogation of the Joint Declaration by China after 1997. This of course falls short of our immediate restriction of the rights of the British subjects and is therefore not what we want but nevertheless it indicates some sympathy in the United Kingdom on which we can build further support for our primary objective.

Finally, Sir, on the Vietnamese boat people.

I share the FAC's view that only reluctantly does one come to the conclusion that there is no alternative to arranging repatriation to Vietnam on an orderly basis. There has been progress on this in recent weeks and I hope the community will continue to show patience.

Nothing could be more damaging to Hong Kong's present interest than ill- considered actions such as anti-Vietnamese demonstrations or the abandonment of the policy of first asylum or the risking of lives of these pitiful people by turning their boats away. At this time, we need all the support we can get from around the world. From all that I hear such international support would be sharply reduced were we to initiate a change of policy; for obvious reasons we would be accused however unfairly of adopting double standards.

This sad and difficult problem has long been with us and I can well understand the frustrations that many Hong Kong people are feeling. But I hope this Council can continue to support a sensible and humane approach to those whose predicament despite Hong Kong's current problems is still considerably worse than our own.

With these words, Sir, I support the motion.

MR. DAVID CHEUNG: Sir, the FAC report is full of illogicality and contradictions and, reading between lines, one can see through its proposition hiding behind a cluster of words that the British Government should shirk its responsibilities for Hong Kong.

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