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MATTER. AFTER A QUESTION FROM JIM LESTER INVITING HIM TO CONSIDER THE PROVISION OF RESETTLEMENT AID AND URGING THAT THE UNITED NATIONS AND EUROPEAN COMMUNITY SHOULD WORK FOR REHABILITATION OF VIETNAM, THE FOREIGN SECRETARY SAID: QUOTE VIETNAM STANDS A BETTER CHANCE OF GETTING WHAT IT WANTS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IF AND WHEN IT FULFILS ITS INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS. THAT POINT MUST BE UNDERSTOOD. THE KEY ELEMENT IS AN UNEQUIVOCAL AND PUBLIC COMMITMENT BY VIETNAM TO TAKING BACK ALL NON-REFUGEES IN SAFETY AND DIGNITY, AND WE SHALL SEEK THAT.
I UNDERSTAND MY HON. FREND'S CONCERNS: I WISH THERE WERE AN EASY ALTERNATIVE, BUT NEITHER HE NOR ANYONE ELSE HAS YET FOUND ONE. THE WHOLE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY MADE IT PERFECTLY CLEAR AT GENEVA AND ELSEWHERE THAT IT WAS NOT PREPARED TO TAKE NON-REFUGEES. IT IS THEREFORE NOT REASONABLE TO ACCEPT THAT THEY WILL HAVE TO STAY IN HONG KONG FOR EVER AND I CANNOT, WILL NOT AND DO NOT ACCEPT THAT. UNQUOTE.
3. SEVERAL PAPERS LEAD WITH THE FOREIGN SECRETARY'S STATEMENT
INDICATING THAT BRITAIN IS ABOUT TO START FORCIBLY REPATRIATING 40,000 BOAT PEOPLE FROM HONG KONG. THIS WAS REPORTED AT LENGTH IN THE INDEPENDENT, TIMES, FINANCIAL TIMES, DAILY TELEGRAPH, GUARDIAN AND DAILY EXPRESS.
UNDER THE HEADLINE QUOTE BOAT PEOPLE WILL BE SENT BACK BY FORCE UNQUOTE THE TIMES SAYS THAT MR JOHN MAJOR HAS GIVEN HIS CLEAREST CONFIRMATION THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS DETERMINED TO FORCE THE REFUGEES TO RETURN DESPITE OBJECTION BY THE US. THE INDEPENDENT'S HEADLINE READS: QUOTE. VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG TO BE GIVEN POUNDS 380 IN AID AND FORCIBLY REPATRIATED. THE ARTICLE SAYS THE FOREIGN OFFICE IS SEEKING GUARANTEES FROM THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT THAT THE OPERATION AND SUBSEQUENT RESETTLEMENT WILL TAKE PLACE UNDER CONDITIONS OF SAFETY AND DIGNITY. THE DAILY TELEGRAPH SAYS THAT THE FOREIGN SECRETARY AND PRIME MINISTER ARE STEELING THEMSELVES FOR THE UNPALATABLE ANNOUNEMENT THAT BRITAIN AND HONG KONG WILL HAVE TO PROCEED WITH A POLICY OF FORCIBLE REPATRIATION, HAVING ACCEPTED THAT A DECISION WILL HAVE TO BE TAKEN BEFORE THE NEXT QUOTE SAILING
SEASON UNQUOTE IN MARCH. IT SAYS THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT IS UNDERSTOOD TO BE PRESSING FOR A SUBSTANTIAL AID PACKAGE BEFORE IT WILL AGREE TO ACCEPT THE FORCIBLE REPATRIATION OF THE BULK OF THE PEOPLE. THE FT ARTICLE UNDER THE HEADLINE QUOTE MAJOR SEEKS
FORCED RETURN OF BOAT PEOPLE UNQUOTE QUOTES MR MAJOR AS SAYING THAT IT WAS BECOMING INCREASINGLY CLEAR THAT VOLUNTARY MEASURES TO ENCOURAGE THE QUOTE ECONOMIC UNQUOTE REFUGEES TO LEAVE HONG
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