XN000022-1988-09-22 — Page 6

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1988

"IT NOW SEEMS LIKELY THAT THERE WILL BE AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INDO-CHINESE ASYLUM SEEKERS DURING THE SPRING OF NEXT YEAR.

"THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF WORK TO BE DONE IN PREPARING THE GROUND BUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG'S POLICY IS CLEARLY MOVING FORWARD IN STEP WITH THE UNHCR AND WITH THE DEVELOPING CONSENSUS OF OPINION IN THE REGION.

"BUT THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM STILL LIES IN VIETNAM AND WE LOOK TO THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT TO STEM THE FLOW OF THEIR PEOPLE TO OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE REGION, HE SAID.

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ON THE RELAXATION PROGRAMME FOR REFUGEES BEING HOUSED CLOSED CENTRES, SIR DAVID SAID THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY HAD MADE CLEAR WHEN HE INTRODUCED THE SCREENING POLICY ON JUNE 15 THAT IT THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION ΤΟ GRADUALLY IMPROVE CONDITIONS VIETNAMESE REFUGEES WHO HAD ARRIVED IN HONG KONG BEFORE JUNE 16.

HE SAID THE STEP WAS NECESSARY FIRSTLY BECAUSE THE ONLY WAY WHICH THE GOVERNMENT COULD RELIEVE HONG KONG OF THE BURDEN OF

16,000 GENUINE REFUGEES WAS TO RESETTLE THEM.

IN

IT

WAS

FOR

IN

THE

SO

"BY GRADUALLY ALLOWING THESE REFUGEES TO GO OUT TO WORK AND TO ACQUIRE SKILLS AND BECOME ECONOMICALLY INDEPENDENT, THEIR CHANCES OF FINDING RESETTLEMENT PLACES INCREASE ENORMOUSLY," HE SAID.

SIR DAVID SAID A SECOND CONSIDERATION WAS THE FACT THAT MANY OF THE REFUGEES HAD BEEN LOCKED UP FOR THREE TO FOUR YEARS.

"THE CHILDREN HAVE HAD NO FORMAL SCHOOLING AND THE ADULT'S NO

OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE ANYTHING APPROACHING A NORMAL LIFE.

CHANGE.

中

"HUMANITARIAN CONSIDERATIONS CLEARLY POINT TO THE NEED FOR A

A THIRD CONSIDERATION, SIR DAVID SAID, WAS THE FINANCIAL BURDEN ON THE COMMUNITY.

"THE MOVE TOWARDS BETTER CONDITIONS FOR THE REFUGEES HAS LED TO THE UNHCR ASSUMING FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REFUGEE CAMPS.

"THE SAVINGS WILL BE IN THE ORDER OF $150 MILLION A YEAR, HE

SAID.

ON CRITICISMS BY SOME TUEN MUN RESIDENTS ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A NEW CAMP IN THE DISTRICT, SIR DAVID SAID HE UNDERSTOOD THEIR WORRIES BUT BELIEVED THEM TO BE ILL-FOUNDED BECAUSE THE RELAXATION PROGRAMME WOULD BE GRADUAL AND VERY CAREFULLY CONTROLLED.

"WE BELIEVE THE RELATIVELY SMALL NUMBERS OF GO OUT TO WORK 4,000 - CAN BE READILY ABSORBED WHICH ALREADY EXIST IN TUEN MUN.

PEOPLE BY THE

LIKELY TO VACANCERS

/"THE POLICE