TNAG-1904-FCO40-2706-Hong-Kong-attitudes-towards-Vietnamese-refugees-1989 — Page 16

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TEXT OF STATEMENT TO BE MADE BY THE ACTING GOVERNOR TO EXCO ON

TUESDAY 6 JUNE 1989

The Foreign Secretary has asked me to let you know that the Governor has passed on to him your urgent appeal for assistance from the UK to help cope with the Boat People crisis and has drawn it to the

attention of the Prime Minister.

He and the Prime Minister are acutely conscious of the very grave

situation which Hong Kong is facing. They are well aware that this

is imposing an intolerable burden on Hong Kong. They have asked me

to assure you that the British Government are doing everything they

possibly can to relieve the pressure on the territory.

As you will know from the press, the Prime Minister and the Foreign

Secretary have personally urged President Bush and Secretary Baker

to support our efforts to stop the outflow and to secure the early

return of all non-refugees. They have also impressed upon them the need for the early establishment of a regional holding centre for refugees. The British Government are doing everything possible

to get agreement to such a centre.

In response to the Executive Council's appeal the British Government

are providing Hong Kong with immediate assistance in the form of 100

tents to accommodate 2,000 boat people. The British Government are

also considering how they could help to provide more permanent

accommodation.

The Foreign Secretary has drawn the attention of the Chinese

Foreign Minister to the seriousness of the situation facing Hong

Kong and has urged China to take effective measures to cut off the

flow of boat people arriving in the Territory.

The British Government are also maintaining pressure on the

Vietnamese authorities to stop the outflow and will continue to

take every opportunity to get this message across to the Vietnamese