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RITA FAN: Well, I welcome this agreement because this agreement
,
represents a significant first step towards the solving of the problem o
the Vietnamese Boat People. Having said that, of course I am mindful of
the fact that the agreement refers only to voluntary repatriation of
Boat People who haven't got the status of genuine refugees. So I hope
that the British officials and the Hong Kong officials will carry on wit
their efforts to try to persuade the Vietnamese government to co-operate
in taking back their own people.
Kathryn Davies: Now, the agreement also talks about "comprehensive arrang
ments" for the repatriation of the rest of the boat people, the 9,000
who arrived after the cut-off point in July. Now, this is being interpK
interpreted by a great many people here as compulsory repatriation, and
it's attracting a great deal of hostile comment; how do you react to the
RITA FAN: Well, I think perhaps, you know, that it is natural that peopl
will think that forced repatriation is not acceptable. But, if we look a
it from country to country, where people come into the country illegally ✓ without proper documentation, it is normal practice to repatriate them,
provided their own country is prepared to take them back, and on the
understanding that they will be treated humanely on their return. Now,
that is what we are trying to get from Vietnam, an undertaking that when
boat people are repatriated, they would not be treated inhumanely.