0092B/11/HG
HONG KONG 5–
Britain is working hard to help Hong Kong with this appalling pro- blem. The key to it lies in Vietnam. Vietnam must prevent people leaving the country illegally; and it must take back those who have left (except the few who are genuine refugees). The British government has been talking to the Viet- namese for some months on both counts, and some progress has been made (ene small group-of volunteers was returned to Viet- nam in March under the supervi- sion of the United Nations High Commissioner
for Refugees)-though nothing like enough. My colleague, Lord Glenarthur, made the first visit to Vietnam by a British Minister in April. His message was, in essence, that Vietnam cannot ex- pect to be treated as a respectable member of the international com- munity until it gets this problem under control. We continue to press the Vietnamese to meet their responsibilities.
At the same time, we are looking urgently with other countries at an international response to the pro- blem-resettlement for the refugees, and the repatriation for the great majority who are not ge- nuine refugees. We hope to make progress on this at an international conference in Geneva in June.
Top priority
Hong Kong-its future and its current problems-is one of the top priorities of British foreign policy, and has been one of the main items in my personal agenda since I became Foreign Secretary six years ago. We are fully com- mitted to maintaining the Hong Kong success story. I have every confidence that we shall achieve this.
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