SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1988
REPATRIATION DISCUSSED IN MEETING ON INDOCHINESE ASYLUM SEEKERS
REPATRIATION WAS AMONG THE SUBJECTS DISCUSSED AT GREAT LENGTH AT A MEETING WHICH HAS JUST ENDED IN KUALA LUMPUR ON INDOCHINESE ASYLUM SEEKERS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA.
"IT WAS GENERALLY AGREED THAT INITIAL EMPHASIS SHOULD BE ON VOLUNTARY RETURNEES AND TO GET THEM GOING FIRST AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, MR GEOFFREY BARNES, SAID TODAY (SATURDAY) AT KAI TAK AIRPORT ON HIS RETURN FROM THE MEETING.
THE
"IT WAS GENERALLY RECOGNISED THAT THE SUCCESSFUL RETURN OF VOLUNTARY PEOPLE WOULD HOPEFULLY INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PERSONS APPLYING TO RETURN.
"WE MADE THE POINT VERY STRONGLY TO THE MEETING AND TO THE VIETNAMESE THAT THE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN HAD THE RESPONSIBILITY TO ACCEPT BACK PERSONS WHO HAD BEEN FOUND NOT TO BE REFUGEES, AND THIS WE REGARD AS AN INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATION."
PROBLEM MR BARNES SAID THE VIETNAMESE DID ACKNOWLEDGE THE THIS WAS MADE QUITE CLEAR AT THE LONDON TALK EARLIER.
AND
"THEY DO RECOGNISE THAT A COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION HAS TO BE HAVE FOUND FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO CAME AFTER JUNE 15 THIS YEAR AND WHO NO PROSPECT FOR RESETTLEMENT," HE SAID.
AT THE MEETING, MR BARNES SAID HE ALSO SCREENING PROCESSES TO OTHER COUNTRIES.
EXPLAINED
HONG KONG'S
"WE ARE THE ONLY PLACE WHICH HAS ADOPTED A FORMAL SCREENING KONG 13 PROCESS. THERE IS GREAT INTEREST IN THEM AND IN THE WAY HONG CARRYING OUT THE SCREENING PROCESS," HE SAID.
IN A IN
MR BARNES SAID THE MEETING IN KUALA LUMPUR WAS THE THIRD
LEAD UP SERIES OF PRELIMINARY WORKING GROUP MEETINGS WHICH WOULD DUE COURSE TO AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE TO BE HELD NEXT YEAR.
"THE MEETING IDENTIFIED THE MAIN AREAS FOR DISCUSSION, DECISION AND CONCLUSIVE SOLUTIONS AT NEXT YEAR'S INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE," HE SAID.
KONG
"WE DISCUSSED THE PREVENTION OF DEPARTURES FROM VIETNAM, ARRIVALS IN HONG
AND OTHER COUNTRIES OF FIRST ASYLUM, THE ORDERLY DEPARTURES SCREENING PROCESS, RESETTLEMENT, REPATRIATION AND FROM VIETNAM.
PAPER "A WORKING GROUP WILL DEVELOP THESE AREAS INTO A FORM OF
AND IF FOR CONSIDERATION BY GOVERNMENTS,
ARE THEIR COMMENTS
VERY TO DEAL WITH DIVERGENT IN VIEW, THERE WILL BE ANOTHER WORKING GROUP
IT.
THE PREPARATORY "THE NEXT STEP WILL BE SCHEDULED IN KUALA LUMPUR HOPEFULLY IN ABOUT APRIL NEXT WILL CLEAR THE WAY FOR AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE WHICH TO BE AT MINISTERIAL LEVEL. THE DATE HAS NOT BEEN FIXED YET,
**
CONFERENCE WHICH IS YEAR, WHICH IS EXPECTED
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