TNAG-1883-FCO40-2674-Visits-by-Lord-Glenarthur--Minister-of-State-for-Foreign-and-1989 — Page 114

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MDLIAN Y1792

BRITAIN WAS NOT DOING AS MUCH AS IT SHOULD TO HELP. THE LATEST OFFER OF RESETTLEMENT PLACES WAS INADEQUATE AND FURTHER FLAWED BY ITS CONDITIONALITY. THIS WAS TAKEN AS A SIGN OF BRITAIN'S LACK OF SINCERITY AND COMMITMENT TO THE FUTURE OF THE TERRITORY. AS FOR THOSE SCREENED OUT AS NON-REFUGEES, THEY SHOULD BE GIVEN NO OPTION BUT RETURN TO VIETNAM. QUOTE FORCED UNQUOTE REPATRIATION WOULD BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT, BUT THIS WAS MAINLY A MATTER OF PRESENTATION. AN ESSENTIAL STEP WOULD BE TO GET THE FORTCOMING INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INDO-CHINESE REFUGEES TO INCLUDE THE PRINCIPLE OF RETURN TO THE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN.

5. LORD GLENARTHUR STRESSED THROUGHOUT THAT WE WERE DOING ALL WE

COULD TO HELP. BUT IT WAS ESSENTIAL TO GET OTHERS IN THE INTER-

NATIONAL COMMUNITY TO PLAY THEIR PART AS WELL. HE DID ACCEPT THAT

OUR RECENT OFFER WAS FLAWED BY ITS CONDITIONALITY: THIS WAS A LEVER TO SECURE A BETTER RESPONSE FROM OTHER RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES. THE REACTION TO INVOLUNTARY REPATRIATION, BOTH IN THE UK AND IN THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, WOULD BE EXTREMELY HOSTILE. THIS WAS WHY WE SHOULD PURSUE THE CURRENT PHASE OF VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION: SUCCESSES HERE WOULD ENCOURAGE MORE TO VOLUNTEER TO GO BACK. WE

WERE SUPPORTING FULLY THE SCREENING POLICY IMPLEMENTED BY THE HONG

KONG GOVERNMENT AND HAD FOLLOWED THIS UP WITH THE VIETNAMESE

GOVERNMENT TO SECURE THEIR AGREEMENT ON THE NEED FOR A COMPREHENSIVE

SOLUTION.

EMIGRATION/BRAIN DRAIN

6.

LYDIA DUNN SAID THAT THE ECONOMY WAS BOUYANT, WITH BUSINESS CONFIDENCE AS HIGH AS IT HAD EVER BEEN SINCE THE SIGNING OF THE JOINT DECLARATION. THERE WAS SOME OVER-HEATING WHICH FUELLED INFLATION AND THE LABOUR SHORTAGE. BUT PROSPECTS WERE GOOD. THE ONLY SERIOUS WORRY WAS THE LOSS OF PROFESSIONALS THROUGH EMIGRATION. THE IMPACT OF THIS BRAIN DRAIN WAS MORE SERIOUS THAN CURRENTLY MET

THE EYE. ITS FULL EFFECTS MIGHT NOT BE FELT UNTIL THE 1990S. OTHER SPEAKERS ECHOED THIS THEME, EXPLAINING THE CONTAGIOUS EFFECTS OF EMIGRATION. BUT ALL AGREED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT HONG KONG COULD DO TO COMBAT THE PROBLEM, BEYOND MAKING ITSELF AN ATTRACTIVE PLACE IN WHICH TO LIVE AND WORK.

DRAFT BASIC LAW/POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT

A NUMBER OF SPEAKERS COMMENTED ON THE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SECOND

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