TNAG-2210-FCO40-3170-Future-of-Hong-Kong-political-parties-1991 — Page 37

1000

MUVERNICKE TUOJ

#1

Hong

V ble any longer to maintain the policy of first asylum.

take this step lightly. In the two years Kong would not following that conference, London has consistently sought to ignore that it is the British and not the Hong Kong Government which is a signatory to the comprehensive Plan of Action.

A similar shifting of the responsibility and the blame to Hong Kong has been the long-standing practice of the British Embassy in Washington, DC. As a colony, Hong Kong of course has no representative in Washington to counter this disinformation

was that made by

made by British A typical statement campaign. Ambassador Antony Acland in an article in the Washington Post newspaper in November 1989 at a time when the United States was' MI. Acianu opposing the forced repatriation

vietnamese. of

wrote, "There would be no question of the Hong Kong Government's sending people involuntarily back to Vietnam without adequate

the British Ambassador

assurances."

Was

unaware

that the

decision in fact was one made by Her Majesty's Government, and not, the Hong Kong Government?

добы

Sadly, the colonial Government here has done nothing to set

the record straight internationally. It seems only too willing

to have the people of Hong Kong accept the blame for unpopular

decisions made by the sovereign U.K. Government.

weeks

the ago,

for Secretary

Security

Only three

contradicted

his

predecessor and himself in this very Council.

In reply to the

Hon. Mrs. Rita Fan's question, he stated, "I would like to make clear that Hong Kong's policy on the vietnamese boat people has

: