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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 1989
GENEVA CONFERENCE TO CONSIDER RESETTLEMENT OF ALL VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
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WAS
THE RESETTLEMENT OF ALL VIETNAMESE REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE PACKAGE OF DURABLE SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM OF INDO-CHINESE REFUGEES IN THE REGION WHICH WOULD BE CONSIDERED AT AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE IN GENEVA LATER THIS YEAR, LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WAS INFORMED TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
THE
THE
IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON HUI YIN-FAT, SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON GEOFFREY BARNES SAID THAT BOTH BRITAIN AND HONG KONG HAD MADE IT CLEAR THAT THE RESETTLEMENT OR REPATRIATION OF ALL VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE FROM HONG KONG MUST BE PURSUED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
"AND NOT IN CONNECTION WITH ANY PARTICULAR DEADLINE, BECAUSE OF THE PROBLEMS WHICH THEY CREATE FOR HONG KONG NOW," HE SAID,
"WE HAVE INFORMED THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS HONG KONG'S LAWS PREVENT VIETNAMESE REFUGEES FROM BEING RECOGNISED AS 'ORDINARILY RESIDENT' IN HONG KONG.
THAT
SUCH PERSONS ARE NOT ORDINARILY RESIDENT IN HONG KONG NOW NOR WOULD THEY BE SO RESIDENT IN HONG KONG AFTER 1997." HE SAID.
HE POINTED OUT THAT THE POSITION OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES AND BOAT PEOPLE CURRENTLY AWAITING RESETTLEMENT OR REPATRIATION MUST BE DISTINGUISHED FROM THAT OF THE VERY SMALL NUMBER OF FORMER VIETNAMESE REFUGEES WHO HAD BEEN PERMITTED TO BECOME ORDINARILY RESIDENT IN KONG.
HONG
"PERSONS IN THIS LATTER GROUP MAY BE ABLE, IN EXACTLY THE SAME WAY AS OTHER ORDINARY RESIDENTS, TO BECOME PERMANENT RESIDENTS OF HONG KONG BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER 1997,
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HE SAID.
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