XN000022-1987-01-07 — Page 3

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 1987

UK URGED TO ALLOW HK TO REPATRIATE CERTAIN VR'S

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THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN ASKED IN QUITE FORCEFUL TERMS TO PURSUE THE POSSIBILITY OF ALLOWING HONG KONG TO REPATRIATE CERTAIN VIETNAMESE REFUGEES, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON DAVID JEAFFRESON, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

+

WINDING UP THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEE ISSUE, MR JE AFFRESON SAID THESE REFUGEES WOULD BE THOSE WHO COULD NOT ESTABLISH THAT THEY MET A PARTICULAR DEFINITION – SUCH AS THAT THEY HAD BEEN PERSECUTED OR WOULD FACE PERSECUTION ON RETURN.

HE EMPHASISED THAT THIS WOULD BE A LONG-TERM SOLUTION, AND THE GOVERNMENT WOULD HAVE TO BE REASONABLY SATISFIED THAT THOSE TO BE REPATRIATED WOULD NOT BE INHUMANELY TREATED ON THE IR RETURN.

IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR HONG KONG TO AGREE THAT IT MUST ACCEPT NON-REFUGEES, IN OTHER WORDS THOSE WHO COULD NOT ESTABLISH THAT THEY HAD REFUGEE STATUS, ECONOMIC MIGRANTS, WHEN IT HAD TO RETURN OTHER ILLEGAL ARRIVALS IN HONG KONG, SUCH AS PEOPLE FROM CHINA WHO HAD CLOSE RELATIVES HERE.

+THERE ARE TWO THINGS IN PARTICULAR THAT WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO DO TO SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS, + HE SAID.

+THE FIRST IS THAT WE HAVE BEEN ASKING HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT TO CONTINUE TO RESETTLE MORE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG.

EMPHASIS WAS BEING PUT ON CERTAIN CATEGORIES, INCLUDING FAMILY REUNION CASES AND SOME OF THE SO-CALLED HARD TO RESETTLE+ CASES.

ABOUT 5 500 REFUGEES HAD BEEN HERE FOR MORE THAN THREE YEARS AND AS MANY AS 1 600 FOR AS LONG AS FIVE YEARS,

THERE COULD BE NO DOUBT THAT THE EXTREMELY HELPFUL BRITISH INITIATIVE TO TAKE ABOUT 500 REFUGEES HAD STIMULATED AN EXTREMELY GOOD RESPONSE AS FAR AS RESETTLEMENT GENERALLY WAS CONCERNED LAST YEAR.

MR JE AFFRE SON SAID IT WAS DIFFICULT TO SAY HOW LARGE THAT RESPONSE HAD BEEN BECAUSE IT WAS NOT THAT EASY TO DETERMINE HOW MANY WOULD HAVE BEEN RESETTLED HAD THE INITIATIVE NOT TAKEN PLACE.

+WE ARE PRETTY SURE THAT THE BRITISH INITIATIVE RESULTED IN AN EXTRA THOUSAND BEING RESETTLED AND WE WOULD PUT IT, FRANKLY, AT NEARLY 1 500.

/+I WOULD