3
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 1991
"WOULD
WE,
AS A COMMUNITY, BE WILLING TO
DROWN? SURELY NOT. I ACTION ON THE SAME DAY RIGHTS.
++
LET THESE PEOPLE OF CAN'T BELIEVE WE COULD SUGGEST THIS COURSE THAT THE COUNCIL HAD PASSED THE BILL OF
MR STRACHAN
THE
SAID HONG
KONG WOULD
ALSO HAVE
ΤΟ
REMAINING
52,000
FACE AN
VIETNAMESE
INTERNATIONAL OUTCRY, WHICH WOULD PUT AT RISK OUR PROSPECTS FOR RESETTLING
6,000 REFUGEES AND THE MIGRANTS NOW IN HONG KONG.
**WK
WOULD ALSO PREJUDICE INTERNATIONAL ATTITUDES TOWARDS KONG IN OTHER AREAS, SUCH AS TRADE, FINANCE AND OUR FUTURE, AREAS WHICH WE HAVE VERY IMPORTANT INTERESTS,
HONG IN
"OUR ABILITY TO ACT UNILATERALLY, EVEN WITH THE FIRM SUPPORT OF HMG, TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM IS EXTREMELY LIMITED, THOUGH, OF COURSE, WE ARE CONTINUALLY EXAMINING THE OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO US.
++
ON THE OTHER HAND, MR STRACHAN SAID IF
KONG WAS TO HONG
BE MAINTAIN FIRST ASYLUM, THE BALANCE OF OBLIGATIONS IN THE CPA MUST IMPLEMENTED IN FULL WITH PLACES OF FIRST ASYLUM HAVING TO ADMIT ASYLUM ΤΟ TAKE SEEKERS AND DETERMINE THEIR STATUS; RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES
REFUGEES;
AND AND THE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN GENUINE
THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE TO ACCEPT THAT NON-REFUGEES MUST RETURN HOME WITH ASSISTANCE AND GUARANTEES AS TO THEIR FUTURE TREATMENT.
HONG KONG HAD
STRACHAN STRESSED MR
THAT
FULFILLED OBLIGATIONS TO THE LETTER, BUT OTHERS WERE NOT FULFILLING THEIRS.
ITS
EXPENSE
SEEKERS EACH
"WE HAVE PROVIDED ASYLUM AND CONTINUED AT CONSIDERABLE DETERMINE THE STATUS OF MANY HUNDREDS OF NEW ASYLUM
TO WEEK.
"OUR SCREENING SYSTEM, WHICH THOSE WITH NO RESPONSIBILITY SOLVING THIS PROBLEM HAVE CHOSE OFTEN TO CRITICISE, HAS BEEN FOUND BE GENERALLY FAIR AND ACCURATE.
FOR
то
"WE CONTINUE TO IMPROVE IT AS FAR AS WE CAN.
FOR
"AND YET ONCE STATUS HAS BEEN DETERMINED, WHAT RELIEF IS
NON-REFUGEE?" HE HONG KONG AND WHAT PROSPECTS ARE THERE FOR THE
THERE
ASKED.
HE NOTED THAT THE VOLUNTEER SCHEME SHOWED SOME SIGNS OF PICKING ABOUT UP AGAIN. HOWEVER, THE NUMBER OF VM'S RETURNED LAST MONTH WAS HALF AS MANY AS CAME AS NEW ARRIVALS ON ANY ONE DAY IN THE SAME MONTH.
AS
"WE HAVE OVER 18,000 VIETNAMESE WHO HAVE BEEN SCREENED OUT
TO VIETNAM. NON-REFUGEES. THEY ARE BEING HELD PENDING REPATRIATION MOST OF THEM SHOW NO INTEREST IN THE VOLUNTEER SCHEME.
"WE
THIS CENTRAL
ARE TRYING TO GET THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO FOCUS
ISSUE.
ON
"IT
AND THEIR IS WHOLLY WRONG THAT MANY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE
CONDITIONS, CHILDREN SIT IN OUR CAMPS, IN CROWDED AND OFTEN DIFFICULT BELIEVING IN SOME FUTILE WAY THAT THE IMMIGRATION POLICIES OF THE AND OTHER COUNTRIES ARE GOING TO CHANGE.
USA
/"SOONER, RATHER