XN000022-1986-10-08 — Page 27

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1986

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NO AMNESTY FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

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THERE WILL BE NO AMNESTY TO ALLOW THOSE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WHO SUCCEED IN GETTING INTO HONG KONG TO STAY HERE, THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

+WHEN THEY ARE CAUGHT, ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WILL BE REPATRIATED, + HE STRESSED.

SIR EDWARD SAID THAT OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS THERE HAD BEEN A GRADUAL INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARRESTED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ENTER HONG KONG, FROM A DAILY AVERAGE OF 17, IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF 1983, TO 38 PER DAY IN THE SAME PERIOD THIS YEAR.

HOWEVER, THE NUMBER OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS APPREHENDED IN HONG KONG HAD REMAINED STEADY, AT AN AVERAGE OF NINE A DAY.

HE ATTRIBUTED THIS TO THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE SECURITY FORCES

IN CONTROLLING THE BORDER AND COASTAL WATERS.

SIR EDWARD SAID THAT THIS YEAR HAD SEEN AN INCREASE IN ARRIVALS OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.

+AS A MATTER OF POLICY, HONG KONG WOULD FIND IT DIFFICULT TO ACT AS A PLACE OF FIRST ASYLUM, IF THERE WAS NO LONGER AN INTERNATIONAL PRESUMPTION THAT THOSE STILL LEAVING VIETNAM ARE GENUINE REFUGEES, AND THAT RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES ARE PREPARED TO TAKE THEM,+ HE SAID.

+THIS YEAR, THE RATE OF RESETTLEMENT HAS IMPROVED, MAINLY DUE TO THE RESPONSE OF OTHER COUNTRIES TO A BRITISH INITIATIVE TO ENABLE MORE REFUGEES TO ENTER THE UNITED KINGDOM UNDER FAMILY REUNION CRITERIA. +

+FOR OUR PART, GOVERNMENT HAS DECIDED TO TAKE UP TO 250 REFUGEES OF CHINESE ORIGIN FOR PERMANENT SETTLEMENT IN HONG KONG,+ HE SAID.

THOUGH THE REFUGEE POPULATION HAD FALLEN FROM 9 900 TO 8 200, SIR EDWARD SAID THE OUTLOOK FOR THE FUTURE WAS LESS BRIGHT.

+DURING THE CURRENT YEAR, SOME 4 200 REFUGEES WILL BE RESETTLED, BUT THIS LEVEL IS UNLIKELY TO BE MAINTAINED IN 1987, HE SAID.

+EVERY YEAR MORE AND MORE EFFORT IS REQUIRED TO RETAIN THE INTEREST OF THE RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES. A MORE DURABLE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM OF THE CONTINUING EXODUS FROM VIETNAM MUST BE FOUND.

+WE SHALL CONTINUE, WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT, TO PRESS THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY FOR SUCH A SOLUTION, + HE SAID,

TURNING TO