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WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 1985
+AS IT HAPPENS, IN THE PAST FEW DAYS THE COMMISSIONER OF THE UNITED STATES IMMIGRATION AND NATURALISATION SERVICE AND SOME OF HIS STAFF, AND THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES AND SOME OF HIS STAFF HAVE VISITED SOME OF OUR CLOSED CENTRES,+ HE SAID.
+WHILE, LIKE US, THEY MAY DEPLORE THE NEED FOR THESE CENTRES, THEY HAD NO CRITICISMS OF THE WAY IN WHICH THEY WERE BEING RUN,+ HE SAID.
FOUR WAYS FOR UK TO HELP ON VRS
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THERE ARE FOUR WAYS THE UNITED KINGDOM SHOULD ACT ON HONG KONG'S BEHALF IN THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEE ISSUE, APART FROM ADOPTING A MUCH LARGER INTAKE, DR THE HON HO KAM-FAI SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
LEADING THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON THE PROBLEM OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG, DR HO SAID:
* FIRST, HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT SHOULD REMIND THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES (UNHCR) OF ITS PLEDGES AND PROMISES THAT VIETNAMESE REFUGEES ARE ONLY TAKING TEMPORARY ASYLUM IN HONG KONG AND IT SHOULD ENSURE THAT ARRANGEMENTS ARE BEING MADE FOR THE IR PERMANENT RESETTLEMENT ELSEWHERE AS EXPEDITIOUSLY AS POSSIBLE
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SECOND. HONG KONG'S PREDICAMENT IN RESPECT OF THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES SHOULD BE PRESENTED TO THE UNHCR, AND THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE UNHCR IN GENEVA SHOULD BE ASKED TO CALL AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE FOR RESETTLEMENT
THIRD THE UNITED KINGDOM GOVERNMENT SHOULD TRY ITS BEST TO PERSUADE THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY AND BRITISH COMMONWEALTH COUNTRIES TO COMPASSIONATELY ACCEPT MORE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES FOR RESETTLEMENT AND
* FOURTH, THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE URGED THROUGH DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS TO EXERCISE CHECKS ON FURTHER OUTFLOW AND TO ACCEPT REPATRIATION OF ITS NATIONALS AND THOSE REFUGEES WILLING TO RETURN TO THE IR HOMELAND.
/DR HO