XN000022-1985-09-26 — Page 3

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THURSDAY, SEPTERER 26, 1985

+ THE GOVERNMENT HAS NOT, HOWEVER, BEEN ABLE TO ACCEPT IN PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES THE SELECT COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION THAT THE CLOSED CAMP POLICY BE ENDED. THE GOVERNMENT BELIEVES THAT THIS POLICY IS THE MOST HUMANE MEANS OF DISCOURAGING FURTHER LARGE-SCALE ARRIVALS OF REFUGEES FROM VIETNAM, AND HAS BEEN EFFECTIVE IN ACHIEVING THIS AIM. IN ITS VIEW IF THE CLOSED CAMPS WERE ABOLISHED THE LIKELY CONSEQUENCE WOULD BE THAT HONG KONG WOULD AGAIN BECOME THE MAGNET FOR PEOPLE FROM VIETNAM THAT IT WAS BETWEEN 1979 AND 1981, CAUSING AN UNACCEPTABLE AND UNMANAGEABLE RISE IN THE POPULATION OF THE CAMPS IN HONG KONG.+

BRITISH RESPONSE TO SCORRI REPORT WELCOMED

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THE GOVERNMENT TODAY WELCOMED THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S POSITIVE RESPONSE TO RECOMMENDATIONS CONTAINED IN THE SCORRI REPORT ON VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG.

A SPOKESMAN SAID THE POLICY LAID OUT IN THE WHITE PAPER DEMONSTRATED BRITAIN'S INTEREST IN AND CONCERN FOR HONG KONG'S REFUGEE PROBLEM.

+WE PARTICULARLY WELCOME THE RELAXATION OF BRITAIN'S FAMILY REUNION CRITERIA,+ HE SAID. IT WAS ESTIMATED IN THE REPORT THAT ABOUT 420 FAMILY REUNION CASES FROM HONG KONG MIGHT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS OPPORTUNITY. THE ACTUAL NUMBERS ELIGIBLE COULD BE AS MANY AS 500.

+BRITAIN'S ACTION WILL BE USED TO NEGOTIATE ADDITIONAL RESETTLEMENT PLACES FROM OTHER COUNTRIES WITH A VIEW TO REDUCING DRASTICALLY THE SIZE OF HONG KONG'S VIETNAMESE REFUGEE POPULATION AND TO RESETTLE ALL THOSE WHOSE STAY IN CAMPS HAS BEEN PROLONGED, HE ADDED.

SINCE BRITAIN IS PREPARED TO CONSIDER ACCEPTING, IN ADDITION TO THE FAMILY REUNION CASES, FURTHER LIMITED NUMBERS OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG IN THE LIGHT OF THE WILLINGNESS SHOWN BY OTHER RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES TO RESPOND TO HONG KONG'S NEEDS, THE GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID HONG KONG WOULD BE PREPARED TO CONSIDER ABSORBING A LIMITED NUMBER OF ETHNIC CHINESE AS PART OF THE PACKAGE.

WHILE NOTING THAT CLOSED CAMPS WOULD NOT BE ABOLISHED, THE SPOKESMAN SAID MORE WOULD BE DONE TO PREPARE THE INHABITANTS OF THE CAMPS FOR LIFE AFTER THEY ARE RESETTLED, ESPECIALLY THROUGH TRAINING AND UPGRADING OF SKILLS. BUT HE POINTED OUT THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE UNHCR AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES HERE, WAS ALREADY DOING MUCH TO IMPROVE EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN THE CAMPS.

THE FOREIGN