11
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 1991
THE CAGE HAS BEEN PROVEN TO BE ABLE TO CURRENTS AND WAVE ACTIONS EVEN UNDER GALE CONDITION.
WITHSTAND STRONG
ATTENTION NEWS EDITORS:
A PRESS TOUR WILL BE HELD TOMORROW (THURSDAY) FOR MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES TO LOOK AT THE CAGE AND FEEDING OF THE FISH.
YOU ARE INVITED TO SEND A REPRESENTATIVE то JOIN THE TOUR. TRANSPORT WILL BE PROVIDED AND WILL LEAVE AFD HEADQUARTERS, 393 CANTON ROAD, CANTON ROAD GOVERNMENT OFFICES, KOWLOON AT 12.15 PM TOMORROW.
LENSES.
MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES ARE ADVISED TO BRING ALONG TELEPHOTO
VOLUNTARY RETURN OF VM'S REACH 1,000 MONTHLY TARGET
THE GOVERNMENT TODAY (WEDNESDAY) WELCOMED THE UNHCR'S SUCCESS IN ACHIEVING THE RETURN OF 1,000 VOLUNTEERS TO VIETNAM IN AUGUST, THE FIRST
TIME THIS FIGURE HAS BEEN REACHED SINCE THE VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION PROGRAMME BEGAN IN MARCH 1989.
COMMENTING ON TODAY'S FLIGHT, WHICH BROUGHT то 1,009 THE NUMBER RETURNED THIS MONTH, THE ACTING DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, MR CLINTON LEEKS, SAID: "THIS IS A VERY POSITIVE STEP IN GETTING THE MESSAGE THROUGH TO THOSE IN DETENTION CENTRES AND THOSE THINKING OF LEAVING VIETNAM THAT, FOR NON-REFUGEES, THEIR ONLY REAL FUTURE LIES BACK HOME IN VIETNAM.
"WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING TO THE UNHCR TO ACHIEVE 1,000 RETURNS A MONTH SINCE THE VISIT OF THE THEN MINISTER OF STATE, MR FRANCIS MAUDE, TO HANOI IN FEBRUARY LAST YEAR, WHEN IMPROVEMENTS TO THE VOLUNTARY SCHEME WERE FIRST AGREED WITH THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT.
"THIS SHOULD NOW HELP TO BOOST THE NUMBERS VOLUNTEERING HOME IN FUTURE MONTHS.
MR LEEKS POINTED OUT THAT THERE WERE STILL A TOTAL OF SCREENED OUT NON-REFUGEES AND UNSCREENED ASYLUM SEEKERS DETENTION CENTRES.
То GO
57,000
IN
THE
OFFSET
"THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE 1,000 TARGET HAS DONE LITTLE TO THE ALMOST 17,000 ARRIVALS WE HAVE SEEN SO FAR THIS YEAR," HE SAID.
"BUT IT IS ENCOURAGING THAT THE VOLUNTARY PROGRAMME HAS PICKED UP SO WELL FROM THE DIFFICULTIES IT FACED EARLY THIS YEAR, WHEN FOR A WHILE WE WERE RETURNING ONLY A FEW DOZEN PEOPLE EACH MONTH.
#1
/HE SAID