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WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 1991
HK GOVERNMENT'S COMMENTS ON GENEVA MEETING
SPEAKING FROM GENEVA TODAY (WEDNESDAY), THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, MR ALISTAIR ASPREY GAVE THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S REACTION TO THE OUTCOME OF THE FOURTH MEETING OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INDOCHINESE REFUGEES.
HR SAID THE MEETING PROVIDED AN IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY ΤΟ REVIEW AND REAFFIRM THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF ACTION AS 16 MONTHS WAS FAR TOO LONG SINCE THE LAST MEETING OF THE GOVERNMENTS CONCERNED.
"AS A RESULT OF THE MEETING, THE UNHCR AND OTHER GOVERNMENTS WERE NOW VERY CONSCIOUS OF THE DISPROPORTIONATE BURDEN BEING BORNE BY HONG KONG AS VIRTUALLY THE ONLY CURRENT DESTINATION OF THOSE LEAVING VIETNAM CLANDESTINELY, MR ASPREY SAID.
Tr
HE WELCOMED THE PERSONAL ATTENDANCE OF THE HIGH FOR REFUGEES.
COMMISSIONER
"AT THE MEETING, BOTH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND THE UK GOVERNMENT MADE IT CLEAR THAT THERE ARE LIMITS TO HONG KONG'S RESOURCES AND PATIENCE IN ACCOMMODATING A CONTINUING LARGE-SCALE INFLUX OF NON-REFUGEES FROM VIETNAM," HE ADDED.
MR ASPREY SAID THE POSITIVE REAFFIRMATION OF THE CPA WAS WELCOME, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE IMPORTANCE OF GETTING THE MESSAGE THROUGH TO THE SCREENED OUT THAT THERE WAS NO PROSPECT OF THEIR HAVING ACCESS TO RESETTLEMENT FROM HONG KONG AND NO ALTERNATIVE BUT TO RETURN TO VIETNAM.
"THE REPRESENTATIVES AT THE MEETING GAVE A CLEAR INTERNATIONAL MESSAGE TO DISPEL RUMOURS AND COUNTER-COUNSELLING ABOUT ANY CHANGE POLICY OR CUT-OFF DATES," HE SAID.
IN
"IT WAS ALSO HELPFUL THAT THE GUARANTEE OF NON-PERSECUTION ALL THOSE WHO RETURN WAS REITERATED BY VIETNAM," HE ADDED.
FOR
MR ASPREY SAID, HOWEVER, THAT DESPITE A CONSENSUS ON THE NEED FOR THE SCREENED OUT TO RETURN, IT WAS DISAPPOINTING THAT FINAL AGREEMENT HAD NOT YET ACHIEVED THE MEANS OF BRINGING THIS ABOUT.
"THE STEERING COMMITTEE AGREED THAT A SUB-COMMITTEE SHOULD MERT AS A MATTER OF URGENCY TO CONSIDER WAYS OF ACHIEVING THE RETURN OF ALL THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN SCREENED OUT, AND WE LOOK FORWARD ΤΟ THAT HAPPENING IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
OBJECTIVES
HE ADDED THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S WITH OTHER KEY PARTICIPANTS TO ACHIEVE EARLY REPATRIATION OF ALL THE SCREENED OUT.
WERE NOW то WORK AGREEMENT ON MEANS OF
THE UNHCR
"IN THE MEANTIME, WE WILL REDOUBLE OUR EFFORTS WITH TO UNDERLINE THE TWIN MESSAGES OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE. FOR THOSR IN CAMPS, THAT THERE IS NO PROSPECT OF RESETTLEMENT FOR · THE SCREENED OUT AND FOR THOSE IN VIETNAM, THAT THE ONLY LEGITIMATE AVENUE TO RESETTLEMENT OVERSEAS IS THROUGH THE ORDERLY DEPARTURE PROGRAMME,"
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