+
SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 1985
REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT MUST BE MAINTAINED
****
HONG KONG'S OBJECTIVE IS TO MAINTAIN INTERNATIONAL INTEREST
IN THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEE PROBLEM AS WELL AS A FLOW OF RESETTLEMENT OF REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG, THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).
HE WAS SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER OPENING THE SALVATION ARMY COMMAND HEADQUARTERS IN YAU MA TEI THIS MORNING.
ASKED TO COMMENT ON THE BRITISH HOME AFFAIRS COMMITTEE'S REPORT ON VIETNAMESE REFUGEES, SIR EDWARD SAID HE WOULD BE TALKING TO MINISTERS AND PARLIAMENTARĨANS ABOUT THE REPORT DURING HIS LONDON VISIT.
+BOTH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAVE NO INTEREST IN MAINTAINING THE CLOSED CAMPS.
+OUR CONCERN IS THAT THERE SHOULD BE AN OVERALL SOLUTION TO
THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEE PROBLEM, HE SAID.
SIR EDWARD POINTED OUT THAT HONG KONG HAD A VERY GOOD RECORD IN ACCEPTING AND LOOKING AFTER VIETNAMESE REFUGEES, AND COOPERATING IN THE RESETTLEMENT PROGRAMME.
+OUR CONCERN IS THAT THE INTERNATIONAL INTEREST IN THIS PROBLEM SHOULD NOT DIMINISH AND THAT IF REFUGEES DO ARRIVE HERE WE CAN BE SURE OF BEING ABLE TO OBTAIN RESETTLEMENT PLACES FOR THEM.
+AND I SHALL BE TALKING ABOUT ALL THESE TO MINISTERS WHEN I AM THERE, BECAUSE THEY WILL WANT TO CONSIDER IT AND WE WILL WANT TO CONSIDER IT BEFORE THEY REPLY TO THE REPORT,+ HE ADDED.
ON WHETHER HONG KONG CAN HANDLE MORE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES, HE SAID: THE WAY TO DEAL WITH A REFUGEE PROBLEM WAS TO ENSURE THAT THEY CAN GO ON TO COUNTRIES OF SETTLEMENT.
+YOU CANNOT HAVE THE COUNTRIES OF FIRST SETTLEMENT ACCEPTING THEM ALL SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY ARE THE CLOSEST.
+THAT IS WHY WE NEED TO MAINTAIN INTERNATIONAL INTEREST IN THIS PROBLEM AND TO MAINTAIN A FLOW OF RESETTLEMENT FROM HONG KONG, THAT IS OUR OBJECTIVE.+
IN REPLY TO A QUESTION ON THE AGENDA FOR HIS TRIP TO LONDON, SIR EDWARD SAID THE MAIN PURPOSE WAS TO GIVE AN ACCOUNT TO MINISTERS AND PARLIAMENTARIANS AND OTHERS OF WHAT HAD BEEN GOING ON IN HONG KONG.
ONE OF THE PRIME SUBJECTS WOULD BE PREPARATION FOR THE ELECTIONS, HE SAID.
/+THERE IS
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