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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1987
BOAT PEOPLE: HK'S PLIGHT EXPLAINED
* * * * *
то LOOK URGENTLY ARRIVALS IN HONG
THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY HAS BEEN URGED FOR AN EFFECTIVE METHOD OF TACKLING THE CONTINUING KONG OF ECONOMIC MIGRANTS FROM VIETNAM, MANY OF WHOM ARE NOT CONSIDERED BY RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES AS GENUINE REFUGEES.
THE APPEAL WAS MADE BY THE PRINCIPAL ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, MR NIGEL FRENCH, DURING THE 38TH SESSION OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSION FOR REFUGEES HELD IN GENEVA BETWEEN OCTOBER 5 AND 12.
SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AT THE AIRPORT ON HIS RETURN THIS (WEDNESDAY) EVENING, MR FRENCH SAID HONG KONG'S PLIGHT CONCERNING THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES WAS SPELLED OUT AT THE SESSION, AND
RESPONSE
WAS ENCOURAGING.
"IN MY STATEMENT AND IN VARIOUS OFFICIAL AND UNOFFICIAL DISCUSSIONS I DREW ATTENTION TO THE SIGNIFICANT INCREASE THIS YEAR AND LAST IN ARRIVALS IN HONG KONG FROM VIETNAM AS WELL AS THE DRAMATIC DECLINE IN RESETTLEMENT OFF-TAKE IN 1987, MR FRENCH SAID.
POPULATION WAS GROWING SENSE OF
"I SAID THE RESULTANT INCREASE IN THE REFUGEE GIVING RISE TO CONSIDERABLE PUBLIC DISQUIET AND A FRUSTRATION IN HONG KONG.
"I URGED THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO LOOK URGENTLY FOR AN EFFECTIVE METHOD OF TACKLING THE CONTINUING ARRIVALS IN HONG KONG OF ECONOMIC MIGRANTS FROM VIETNAM, MANY OF WHOM ARE NOT CONSIDERED RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES AS GENUINE REFUGEES.
BY
AND
"THE RESPONSE TO MY STATEMENT WAS ENCOURAGING. THE UNHCR DELEGATES FROM THE MAJOR RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES WERE AWARE OF OUR SITUATION, BUT IN SOME CASES NOT FULLY AWARE OF THE STRENGTH OF FEELING IN HONG KONG ABOUT IT. THEY HOPED HOWEVER THAT HONG KONG WOULD NOT TAKE ANY PRECIPITATE ACTION."
MR FRENCH SAID DELEGATES FROM OTHER PLACES OF FIRST ASYLUM IN THE SOUTH-EAST ASIAN REGION INFORMALLY EXPRESSED CONSIDERABLE SYMPATHY AND SUPPORT FOR HIS STATEMENT. HE ADDED THAT THEY AGREED IN PARTICULAR THAT METHODS SHOULD URGENTLY BE SOUGHT FOR TACKLING THE OUTFLOW OF ECONOMIC MIGRANTS FROM VIETNAM, WHICH WAS A PROBLEM FACING ALL PLACES OF FIRST ASYLUM, NOT JUST HONG KONG.
"OBVIOUSLY IMMEDIATE SOLUTIONS CANNOT BE EXPECTED TO EMERGE FROM AN INTERNATIONAL GATHERING OF THIS SORT. HOWEVER THE PROBLEMS STILL BEING POSED BY VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG, AND SOUTH-EAST ASIAN REGION GENERALLY, ARE THE SUBJECT OF MUCH THOUGHT AND DISCUSSION AT AN INCREASINGLY INTERNATIONAL LEVEL AND I AM HOPEFUL. THAT SOLUTIONS WILL IN DUE COURSE EMERGE, MR FRENCH SAID.
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