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From all I have heard, however, OMELCO certainly acknowledges this dilemma. It realises that
not help in that event. So does this mothe. moral aspect, one of respect: 3 the risks which OMELCO itself acknowledges? The difficulty of reaching a decision on this is all too apparent. I do not go so far as the noble Lord, Lord Wyatt, in suggesting that direct elections should be complete by 1991. But after much consideration it is now my clear belief that we should take careful note of the reasoning behind the OMELCO consensus, and with its clear understanding of the risks of adopting it, endorse it as the right way forward. The issue, as the noble and gallant Lord, Lord Bramall, said, requires very careful, measured judgment. Nevertheless, the effect on confidence in Hong Kong of adopting it now will be considerable, and the prospective damage of not doing so, as the noble Lord, Lord Wyatt, said, very real. Like him I suspect that arrangements in place in 1997 will not perhaps be as easy to dislodge as some fear. The balance of argument, I suggest, has tipped measurably in favour of adopting the LEGCO
consensus.
7.26 p.m.
Baroness Seear: My Lords, some while ago it was agreed that not every speaker would congratulate a maiden speaker on his speech. However, I intend to continue to break the rules, for the speech of the noble Lord, Lord Sharp of Grimsdyke, was so exceptionally brilliant and so extraordinarily relevant and valuable in today's debate that one can congratulate him on his contribution, not just as a matter of courtesy but with the greatest sincerity.
As one would have expected, at the beginning of the debate my noble friend Lord Bonham-Carter, divided the subject into two parts. He dealt with the question of refugees and then with the future of Hong Kong. In dealing with the refugees, he drew on the welcome news which we heard today, though only on television -we have not had it officially confirmed that there has been a United Nations agreement to a six months' moratorium on compulsory repatriation. This will give a chance for the voluntary scheme, apparently, as the noble Lord, Lord Ennals, indicated, inadequately advertised in the past and inadequately understood by the people concerned, to succeed.
My noble friend also stressed strongly that the reason why so many people who do not pretend to be political refugees want to escape from Vietnam is the stark poverty of that country. Therefore, if we want to avoid a continuation of attempted emigration from Vietnam, it is essential, whatever we may think about the government there and whatever we may have felt about them in the past, that we should get together internationally to do something to relieve poverty there. That would be in the interests of the people of Vietnam and also very much in our interests and in the interests also of the people of Hong Kong. That was my noble friend's message on that aspect of the subject.
My noble friend said that democratisation in Hong Kong should be speeded up. He referred also to the
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important question of right of abode in this country and attitudes towards the Government's proposals. y noble friend said todis be and Ponourable Riends in another place d--peatedly said, that this is essentially a matter to be tackled on an international basis. Surely it is time to make yet another attempt to get our colleagues in the European Community, in the Commonwealth and in the United States to share the problem of giving assurance to the people of Hong Kong. It is very much in our interests and in their interests so to do because what everybody must want and what China must want is that people should stay in Hong Kong and not come here.
I know that what I am about to say has been said before, but it must be underlined. It would be better if it is known by the Chinese that there is somewhere where the passport holders of Hong Kong can go-be it Canada or Australia, it does not matter where it is. We are perhaps a little apt to forget, although we have been told this, that not all the world regards the United Kingdom as the most desirable haven in the world. Indeed, we were told by the noble Lord Lord Butterfield, that the young are rather Liore interested in going to the wide open spaces of Canada where the monetary opportunities can be found. If Canada can be encouraged to take them, good luck to them. It would ease the problem.
As regards the bargaining of the Hong Kong people with China, not only before 1997 but also thereafter, surely the knowledge that they have somewhere to go will strengthen their bargaining hand. That is the issue. However, if China knows that they have nowhere to go and they have no rights of abode, then the Chinese authorities can grind the people into the ground in any negotiations which take place. But if the people of Hong Kong can say, "If you push us that far we shall go off", China will surely wish to maintain these moneyspinners who, as the noble Lord, Lord Bonham-Carter, made clear, contribute such a remarkable amount to the economy of that part of the world.
Once again, we beg the Government not to be frightened about numbers and to give guarantees on an international basis that will make it possible for the people of Hong Kong to put up an effective defence in arguing with the people of China.
I have recapitulated briefly what my noble friend Lord Bonham-Carter said. I did so because I assumed, as I had the task or winding up the debate, that my job would be to reply to the people who opposed the point of view put forward and the issues raised by my noble friend. However, my difficulty is that no one has opposed them. Of course I should say that I noticed there is a total absence of speakers on the Labour Back-Benches. Indeed, the only speaker in today's debate from those Benches will be the noble Lord, Lord Cledwyn.
Noble Lords: Lord Ennals has spoken!
Baroness Seear: My Lords, I actually referred to the Back-Benches. I hope that the noble Lord, Lord Cledwyn, will reassure us that in the general drift of the arguments which have been put forward today,
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