XN000022-1985-05-15 — Page 5

WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 1985

HIGHER REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT RATE SOUGHT

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A MUCH HIGHER RATE OF RESETTLEMENT WAS THE BEST SOLUTION TO THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEE PROBLEM, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON DAVID JEAFFRESON, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

WINDING UP THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEE PROBLEM IN HONG KONG, MR JEAFFRESON STRESSED THAT THIS POSSIBILITY REMAINED HONG KONG'S' PREFERRED ANSWER TO THE PROBLEM.

+THE EXTENT TO WHICH WE KEEP THE ENTRY DOOR OPEN FOR ARRIVALS MUST DEPEND ON THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES ARE PREPARED TO KEEP OUR EXIT DOOR OPEN FOR RESETTLEMENT, HE SAID,

+WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT, ON THE ADVICE OF EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, WE ARE PURSUING ALL THE REALISTIC POSSIBILITIES HARD WITH THE COUNTRIES AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS CONCERNED.+

MR JEAFFRESON POINTED OUT THAT HONG KONG WAS PREPARED TO CONTINUE TO BE A PLACE OF FIRST ASYLUM FOR VIETNAMESE REFUGEES FOR AS LONG AS THE INTERNATIONAL PRESUMPTION WAS THAT THEY WERE REFUGEES AND RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES WERE PREPARED TO TAKE THEM.

HONG KONG ITSELF, HE SAID, COULD NOT BE EXPECTED TO TAKE ON AGAIN THE ROLE OF RESETTLEMENT AS WELL AS BEING A PLACE FOR FIRST ASYLUM.

ON LONG-TERM IMPLICATIONS OF THE PROBLEM, MR JEAFFRESON SAID HONG KONG WOULD HAVE TO RECONSIDER ITS POLICIES IF RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES WERE NOT PREPARED TO ACCEPT REFUGEES

FOR RESETTLEMENT.

+ IT IS NO SECRET THAT THOSE NOW ARRIVING HERE, AND WHOM WE, AS A PLACE OF FIRST ASYLUM, ACCEPT, ARE FINDING IT VERY MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO MEET THE CRITERIA FOR RESETTLEMENT THE RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES ARE NOW CHOOSING TO APPLY, HE SAID.

HE SAID IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO SAY WHETHER HONG KONG WOULD ACCEPT +THE REJECTS+ INTO ITS COMMUNITY,

+OUR HOPE IS THAT RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES WILL HONOUR THE IR INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS AND TAKE ALL REFUGEES ARRIVING HERE FROM VIETNAM. →

MR JE AFFRESON SAID THE CLOSED CAMP POLICY HAD BEEN SUCCESSFUL BUT IT HAD ALSO, INEVITABLY, COME IN FOR SOME CRITICISM.

/+AS IT