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101023 MDLIAN 1538
BOAT PEOPLE FRO VIETNAM SO FAR THIS YEAR TOTAL NEARLY 8,500. THEY ARE NOW RUNNING AT THEIR HIGHEST LEVEL IN THE LAST TEN YEARS. THIS HAS STRETCHED OUR RESOURCES TO THE LIMIT. WE ARE FACING MAJOR PROBLEMS IN PROVIDING THE ACCOMMODATION, MANPOWER AND OTHER RESOURCES TO COPE WITH THIS INFLUX. AND I BELIEVE THAT UNDERLYING THE CONCERN
EXPRESSED BY MEMBERS IN THIS DEBATE IS THE BELIEF THAT WE HAVE BECOME THE VICTIMS OF OUR OWN WILLINGNESS TO HONOUR OUR COMMITMENTS.
4. SOME MEMBERS HAVE SUGGESTED THAT WE SHOULD REVIEW OUR POLICY OF GRANTING FIRST ASYLUM. THAT IS NOT, I BELIEVE, THE ANSWER.
AS THE PROBLEM IS NOT OF HONG KONG'S MAKING, SO THE SOLUTION DOES NOT LIE IN OUR HANDS ALONE. WE NEED THE HELP AND CO-OPERATION OF
THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. THE CONSEQUENCE OF ABANDONING THE POLICY OF FIRST ASYLUM WOULD BE THAT ASYLUM SEEKERS WOULD BE FORCED BACK TO SEA IN UNSEAWORTY BOATS. SUCH A POLICY, WHICH WOULD DENY ASSISTANCE EVENT TO THOSE WHO ARE GENUINE REFUGEES FLEEING PERSECUTION, WOULD BE CONDEMNED INTERNATIONALLY. IT WOULD RISK DESTROYING THE REPUTATION AND THE GOODWILL WHICH HONG KONG HAS EARNED FOR ITS HUMANE HANDLING OF THIS PROBLEM. HONG KONG MUST DEPEND ON THIS GOODWILL, NOT ONLY TO ACHIEVE A SOLUTION TO ITS PROBLEM OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE, BUT ALSO IN ITS WIDER POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC INTERESTS.
5.
A DURABLE SOLUTION FOR HONG KONG LIES, NOT IN ABANDONING OUR COMMITMENTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES, BUT IN ENSURING THAT OTHERS LIVE UP TO THEIRS. WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO AT THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INDO-CHINESE REFUGEES IN GENEVA NEXT MONTH. WE MUST SEIZE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ENSURE THAT AN EFFECTIVE SOLUTION IS AGREED BY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. SUCH A SOLUTION MUST CONTAIN A NUMBER OF ELEMENTS, EACH OF WHICH IS A CRITICAL PART OF THE WHOLE STRUCTURE. IF ONE ELEMENT IS MISSING, THE STRUCTURE IS BOUNT
TO FAIL AND COLLAPSE.
6.
FIRST, A SOLUTION MUST INCLUDE MORE EFFECTIVE EFFORTS ON THE PART OF THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT TO PREVENT CLANDESTINE DEPARTURES. WHATEVER MEASURES THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT HAS TAKEN OVER RECENT MONTHS, THEY HAVE CLEARLY NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL. WE SHALL CONTINUE TO PRESS FOR AN IMMEDIATE AND SUSTAINED EFFORT FROM THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES. I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT, WITH THE HELP OF OTHERS, THE PROBLEM OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG CAN BE SOLVED, PROVIDED THAT THE SIZE OF THAT PROBLEM IS CONTROLLED AND LIMITED. WE SHALL NOT BE ABLE TO DO SO WHLE THE SIZE OF THE PROBLEM INCREASES EVERY DAY BEYOND OUR CONTROL. IT IS THEREFORE IMPERATIVE THAT VIETNAM ACCEPT ITS RESPONSIBILITIES AND TAKE EFFECTIVE ACTION TO
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