XN000022-1987-10-09 — Page 6

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1987

DURABLE SOLUTION ON BOAT PEOPLE REQUIRED

THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY MUST NOW LOOK URGENTLY FOR AN EFFECTIVE METHOD OF TACKLING THE CONTINUING ARRIVAL IN HONG KONG OF BCONOMIC MIGRANTS FROM VIETNAM, MANY OF WHOM ARE RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES AS GENUINE REFUGEES.

THIS WAS STATED TODAY (FRIDAY) BY THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, MR NIGEL FRENCH, AT HIGH COMMISSION FOR REFUGERS ANNUAL EXECUTIVE GENEVA.

NOT CONSIDERED BY

PRINCIPAL ASSISTANT THE UNITED NATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING IN

MR FRENCH SAID HONG KONG STRONGLY FAVOURED FROM VIETNAM UNDER THE EXISTING SCHEME.

ORDERLY DEPARTURES

ARE UNWILLING ΤΟ OF FIRST ASYLUM,

OTHER DURABLE

"FOR AS LONG AS THE RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES RESETTLE VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE ARRIVING IN PLACES IT BECOMES EVEN MORE IMPORTANT THAT WE LOOK FOR SOLUTIONS, HE SAID.

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MR FRENCH POINTED OUT THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAD ANNOUNCED EARLIER THIS YEAR A FURTHER PROGRAMME FOR RESETTLING SOME 470 MORE REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG ON THE BASIS OF RELAXED FAMILY REUNION CRITERIA.

HE SAID IT WAS HOPED THAT THIS FURTHER INITIATIVE COMBINED WITH HONG KONG'S OFFER OF FURTHER LOCAL RESETTLEMENT PLUS ITS PROVISION OF A RESCUE AT SEA RESETTLEMENT OFFER TRANSIT CENTRE IN HONG KONG WOULD ENCOURAGE OTHER COUNTRIES TO MAINTAIN OR EVEN INCREASE THEIR RESETTLEMENT offTAKE FROM HONG KONG.

RESETTLEMENT PLACES

HOWEVER, HE SAID THE RESPONSES SO FAR HAD BEEN DISAPPOINTING AND, INDEED, THE GENERAL TREND OF DWINDLING CONTINUED.

"WE CONTINUE TO FIND THAT MANY WE HAVE WILLINGLY ACCEPTED AS REFUGEES ARE LATER DETERMINED BY MOST RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES NOT ΤΟ BE RESETTLEABLE BECAUSE THEY DO NOT MEET THESE COUNTRIES' CRITERIA," HE ADDED.

MR FRENCH SAID THAT SO FAR IN 1987, MORE THAN 2,800 NEW ARRIVALS IN HONG KONG CAME FROM VIETNAM, REPRESENTING A 48 PER CENT INCREASE OVER THE SAME PERIOD IN 1986.

HOWEVER, HE SAID, OF EVEN GREATER CONCERN WAS THE RATE OF RESETTLEMENT OFFTAKE WHICH HAD DECLINED DRAMATICALLY IN 1987.

"UP TO THE END OF SEPTEMBER ONLY SOME 1,756 REFUGEES HAD BEEN PERMANENTLY RESETTLED OVERSEAS OR IN HONG KONG AS COMPARED WITH 3,258 IN THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR; THAT IS A DROP OF NEARLY 50 PER CENT, HE SAID.

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/NOTING THAT