The World - News from Nov. 30, 1988

West Germany’s interior minister said the country’s foreign population has almost doubled since 1970 and suggested that tough measures might be needed to stem the influx. Unveiling the results of the latest census, Friedrich Zimmermann said a marginal increase in the overall population was due to a surge in foreigners from 2.4 million to 4.1 million in the last 18 years. A wave of refugees from primarily poor Third World countries has spawned pressure from West German rightists, including Zimmermann, to restrict the right to asylum. Left-wing opposition parties are steadfastly opposed to withdrawing refugees’ automatic right to an asylum hearing.