+
12
22.
of
of
out as
The Geneva Conference in June endorsed our policy
screening and agreed on principles for the repatriation
non-refugees. But it did not take the essential next
step of endorsing the repatriation of all those screened
non-refugees. In effect it asked us to make further
efforts to encourage these people to return home
voluntarily. We have tried this and will continue to do
30. The more people who return home voluntarily to Vietnam
the better. But the number of people willing to volunteer
is limited. Since November last year, only 264 Vietnamese
have actually returned to their homeland. Further groups
are due to go soon. But voluntary repatriation alone is
clearly not the answer,
23.
At the international conference in June, I warned
arrangements were not made to return home
that if proper
those found not to be
continue indefinitely to
asylum. But we must
not
refugees, Hong Kong could not
play its part by providing first
deceive ourselves into thinking
that abandoning this principle is an easy, or cost free,
option.
We would have to face the hard choice of what to
future
arrivals sank their boats when they were
permission to land here.
do
if
refused
Would we, as a community,
be
willing to let people drown?
Surely not. We would also
91'd
الله
/have
S'I'O 60:LT TT-01-6861