1989-01-11 23:46 G.I.S
N
33 P.03
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 1989
SECONDLY,
THERE ARE THE 10,000 VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE ARRIVED SINCE JUNE LAST YEAR. THE FUTURE OF THOSE WHO, AFTER SCREENING, PROVE NOT TO BE REFUGEES, MUST LIE IN VIETNAM, AND ONLY IN VIETNAM. TOGETHER WITH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WE HAVE HELD TWO ROUNDS OF TALKS WITH THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT TO DISCUSS THE REPATRIATION OF THESE PEOPLE. WE HAVE AGREED ON THE NEED FOR COMPREHENSIVE ARRANGEMENTS TO COVER ALL THOSE WHO ARE NOT REFUGEES.
WE ARE NOW PRESSING THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES TO FINALISE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE REPATRIATION OF THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY ASKED ΤΟ RETURN TO VIETNAM. UNHCR ARE CLOSELY INVOLVED AND HAVE REACHED THEIR OWN AGREEMENT WITH THE VIETNAMESE ON THE HUMANITARIAN TREATMENT OF THOSE WHO RETURN. THOUGH WE DO NOT YET HAVE A DATE I AM CONFIDENT THAT THE FIRST VOLUNTEERS WILL GO BACK SOON.
I AM VERY CONSCIOUS THAT THE PRESENCE OF SO MANY VIETNAMESE HERE IMPOSES FINANCIAL AS WELL AS OTHER BURDENS. IN THAT CONTEXT I AM PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THREE NEW STEPS WHICH THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT IS TAKING.
FIRSTLY, THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT IS PLEDGING A FURTHER 1 MILLION POUNDS TO UNHCR, SPECIFICALLY EARMARKED FOR THEIR OPERATIONS IN HONG KONG. THAT IS OF COURSE IN ADDITION TO THE 1 MILLION POUNDS WHICH WE ANNOUNCED IN OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR.
P
SECONDLY, IN RESPONSE TO UNHCR'S RECENT APPEAL, HMG IS PLEDGING 125,000 US DOLLARS THAT'S ABOUT 1 MILLION HK DOLLARS - TOWARDS THE BUDGET FOR UNHCR'S REPATRIATION PROGRAMME WHICH IS DUE TO START SHORTLY. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IS ALSO CONSIDERING MAKING AN APPROPRIATE CONTRIBUTION.
A
KEY
THIRDLY, TRAINING, PARTICULARLY LANGUAGE TRAINING, IS ELEMENT IN THE ABILITY OF REFUGEES TO ADAPT TO THEIR NEW LIVES IN THE WEST AFTER THEY HAVE BEEN RESETTLED. WITH THIS IN MIND, WE ARE MAKING A DONATION OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE TRAINING EQUIPMENT WORTH 2,500 POUNDS FOR THE USE OF REFUGEES IN HONG KONG AWAITING RESETTLEMENT.
THESE ARE CONCRETE, PRACTICAL MEASURES.
FINALLY,
LET ME SAY THAT WE ARE PLAYING OUR FULL PART
IN THE PREPARATIONS FOR A NEW INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE PROBLEM OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN THE REGION AS A WHOLE. IF ALL GOES WELL THAT WILL TAKE PLACE LATER THIS YEAR, AND WE SHALL BE PRESSING HONG KONG'S INTERESTS VERY HARD. AND WE ARE PLAYING OUR PART, NOT LEAST TO RESOLVE THE CAMBODIAN ISSUE WHICH IS CLOSELY BOUND UP WITH THE WHOLE PROBLEM.
/I HAVE
Page 90Page 91