XN000022-1987-04-03 — Page 2

FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 1987

SCREENING AND REPATRIATION

REMAIN LONG-TERM SOLUTION TO VR PROBLEM

**** *

THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S LONG TERM POSITION ON VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IS THAT IT HOPES TO INTRODUCE A SCREENING PROGRAMME SO THAT AS A RESULT OF THE SCREENING SOME REFUGEES WOULD BE SENT BACK TO VIETNAM IF THEY ARE PROVED NOT TO BE REFUGEES IN THE TRUE SENSE OF THE WORD.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY, MR DAVID FORD, THIS AFTERNOON WHEN ASKED TO CLARIFY THE GOVERNMENT STAND ON THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEE PROBLEM.

+THIS HAS BEEN OUR LONG TERM HOPE FOR SOME PERIOD OF TIME AND IT DOES DEPEND ON THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT BEING ABLE TO TAKE UP THE SITUATION WITH THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT, HE SAID.

MR FORD SAID THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WAS VERY WELL AWARE OF THE PRESSURES THERE WERE ON HONG KONG IN TERMS OF THE PROBLEM.

+ IT'S NOT A PROBLEM THAT IS GOING AWAY EASILY, AND WE ARE IN REGULAR TOUCH WITH THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT ABOUT IT, AND OBVIOUSLY THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE, HE ADDED.

WHEN ASKED ABOUT OTHER OPTIONS OPEN TO THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IF REPATRIATION WAS NOT VIABLE, MR FORD SAID:

+THE OPTIONS ARE PRETTY LIMITED, AS YOU KNOW. WE ARE STILL WORKING ON THE POSSIBILITY OF REPATRIATION, BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE EASY.

+IF WE AREN'T ABLE TO DEAL WITH IT IN THAT WAY, THEN WE SHALL HAVE TO PRESS AHEAD ON RESETTLEMENT. THAT'S THE ONLY OTHER ALTERNATIVE THAT'S OPEN TO US.+

MR FORD POINTED OUT THAT THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE POSITION WAS THAT THEY NEEDED TO BE MORE SURE THAN THEY WERE AT PRESENT OF THE TREATMENT THAT REFUGEES WOULD HAVE IF THEY WERE RETURNED.

+THAT IS THEIR PRESENT POSITION, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN TO SAY THAT IT'S THEIR POSITION FOREVER, HE ADDED.

+

MR FORD ALSO STRESSED THAT THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, MR DAVID JEAFFRESON, DID NOT INDICATE IN HIS EARLIER SPEECH THAT A FIRM DECISION HAD BEEN MADE ON THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEE PROBLEM.

+ HE PRESENTED IT AS A PROPOSAL, HE SAID.

THE PROPOSAL