XN000022-1988-09-22 — Page 9

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1988

FOR VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE ARRIVING IN HONG KONG AFTER JUNE 16, SIR DAVID SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S CLEAR POLICY WAS TO SCREEN THEM ACCORDING TO INTERNATIONALLY ACCEPTED CRITERIA AND WITH UNHCR INVOLVEMENT; TO RESETTLE THOSE WHO WERE CLASSIFIED AS REFUGEES; AND

TO SEND BACK TO VIETNAM THOSE WHO WERE NOT.

"IN THE MEANTIME, THOSE WHO ARE WAITING TO RETURN ΤΟ VIETNAM WILL BE TREATED HUMANELY.

"BUT AS FAR AS THIS GROUP IS CONCERNED, THERE CAN AND WILL BK NO CHANGE IN THEIR STATUS AS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND THEY WILL REMAIN CONFINED TO THEIR CAMPS UNTIL THEY CAN BE RETURNED HOME, HE SAID.

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ANNOUNCEMENT SHORTLY ON NEXT ROUND OF TALKS

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THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DAVID FORD, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY} THAT AN ANNOUNCEMENT WOULD BE MADE IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS ON WHERE THE NEXT ROUND OF TALKS WOULD TAKE PLACE WITH GOVERNMENT ON THE REPATRIATION OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE.

WHEN AND THE HANOI

THE ROTARY THE MEETING

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER A LUNCHEON MEETING CLUB OF HONG KONG HARBOUR, SIR DAVID SAID THE AGENDA FOR WAS STILL BEING WORKED OUT AND THAT HE WAS CONFIDENT THAT HONG KONG WOULD CONTINUE TO MAKE GOOD PROGRESS IN THE TALKS.

"I CERTAINLY THINK WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE FURTHER PROGRESS. WE MADE GOOD PROGRESS THE LAST TIME, HE SAID.

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THAT VIETNAM WAS IMPORTANT QUESTION

SIR DAVID NOTED THERE WERE INDICATIONS PREPARED TO TAKE BACK SOME BOAT PEOPLE, BUT THE WAS THE FINALISATION OF ARRANGEMENTS AND HOW THESE ARRANGEMENTS WOULD WORK.

IT WAS TEMPTING то FROM VIETNAM WAS A VIETNAMESE BOAT

IN REPLY TO A QUESTION, SIR DAVID SAID THINK THAT THE RECENT DECLINE IN ARRIVALS REFLECTION OF THE GOVERNMENT'S RECENT POLICY ON PEOPLE.

"BUT OF COURSE, THIS TRADITIONALLY IS THE TIME WHEN THE WIND CHANGES AND THE NUMBERS REDUCE.

"NEVERTHELESS, THE REDUCTION HAS BEEN SUBSTANTIAL, AROUND 20 A DAY NOW SO FAR IN SEPTEMBER.

"THIS IS