WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1990
GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO PURSUE FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF CPA
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THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY ON VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE WILL CONTINUE TO BE DIRECTED TOWARDS THE FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 1989 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF ACTION, THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON, SAID
TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
THIS MEANT THAT ALL THOSE WHO DID NOT QUALIFY FOR REFUGEE STATUS MUST RETURN TO THEIR HOMES IN VIETNAM, SAID SIR DAVID, NOTING THAT THE PLAN OF ACTION HAD BEEN UNDER GREAT STRAIN ELSEWHERE IN SOUTH EAST ASIA DURING THE PAST YEAR.
"IF IT IS TO BE THE BASIS FOR POLICY THROUGHOUT THE REGION AND I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THIS IS THE MOST HUMANE AND EFFECTIVE ANSWER TO A LONG-STANDING PROBLEM THEN WE MUST GET IN PLACE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE ORDERLY RETURN OF NON-REFUGEES, HE SAID.
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SIR DAVID SAID THE AGREEMENT REACHED IN HANOI ON SEPTEMBER 21. WAS A WELCOME STEP IN THAT DIRECTION, AND THE GOVERNMENT NOW LOOKED TO THE STAFF OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES TO DO ALL THEY COULD TO COUNSEL AND PERSUADE NON-REFUGEES TO ACCEPT THE REALITY OF THEIR POSITION, AND TO RETURN TO THEIR HOMES IN VIETNAM.
"WE WILL GIVE OUR FULL SUPPORT TO THIS EFFORT," HE SAID.
MEANWHILE, THE GOVERNOR SAID, WE MUST CONTINUE WITH THE TASK OF HOUSING, FEEDING AND CARING FOR ALL THOSE WHO WERE ALREADY HERE.
"I SHOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION FOR THE WORK OF ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, AS WELL AS THE VOLUNTARY AGENCIES, WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR LOOKING AFTER THE 54,000 VIETNAMESE WHO REMAIN IN OUR CAMPS; AND ALSO FOR THE IMPORTANT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE HONG KONG HAS RECEIVED FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM, WHICH HAS TOTALLED OVER $500 MILLION OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS.
"I HOPE THAT WE CAN NOW MOVE TOWARDS A HUMANE SOLUTION WHICH WILL BRING THIS TRAGIC MIGRATION TO AN END, SIR DAVID SAID.
SIR DAVID SAID THE PROBLEM OF THE STILL WITH US, BUT PICTURE WAS NOT AS LAST YEAR.
LAST THE ARRIVAL SINCE 1979.
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VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE WAS BLEAK AS IT WAS THIS TIME
OCTOBER, THE GOVERNOR IN HIS POLICY ADDRESS, REPORTED OF 34,000 VIETNAMESE, THE HIGHEST NUMBER IN ANY YEAR
"SINCE THEN, OUR EFFORTS TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM, AND THOSE OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, HAVE PRODUCED SOME RESULTS, HE SAID,
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