XN000022-1989-01-11 — Page 17

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 1989

VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION OF VBP MAY START SOON

OF

THE

VIETNAMESE BOAT

THE SECRETARY

PEOPLE

WHO HAVE THE END OF

SECURITY,

THE

HON

REPATRIATION VOLUNTARILY ASKED TO RETURN TO VIETNAM MAY START TOWARDS

FOR FEBRUARY, THIS MONTH OR IN GEOFFREY BARNES, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

"THE

FOR

REFUGEES VIETNAM,

IS

AND

THE

A

UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPATRIATION OF THESE VOLUNTEERS TO

OF UNDERSTANDING WITH MEMORANDUM HAS RECENTLY CONCLUDED A

ON THE PRINCIPLES GOVERNMENT OF THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM

MR BARNES SAID IN OF VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION, AND PROCEDURES WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON POON CHI-FAI.

INTERNATIONAL APPEAL FOR THE UNHCR HAD RECENTLY LAUNCHED AN

SOME 500 VIETNAMESE BOAT US$577,000 TO PAY FOR THE REPATRIATION OF

KONG, HE PEOPLE, OF WHICH AROUND 300 SEEMED LIKELY TO COME FROM HONG SAID.

"ON THE BASIS OF CURRENT PLANNING

REPATRIATIONS WILL BE MADE

TOWARDS

THE

WE HOPE THAT A START ON END OF THIS MONTH OR IN

FEBRUARY," MR BARNES SAID.

TALKING ON THE

WITHDRAWALS

REPATRIATION, MR BARNES SAID OF THE 464

JUNE 16 LAST YEAR, 179 (OR 38.6 PER CENT) HAD SUBSEQUENTLY WITHDRAW.

THE 285 APPLICATIONS WHICH REMAINED BEING PROCESSED, HE SAID.

VOLUNTARY APPLICATIONS OF

APPLICATIONS RECEIVED SINCE SOUGHT TO

FOR

OPERATIVE WERE CURRENTLY

TO VIETNAM MADE BY BOAT "THE APPLICATIONS FOR REPATRIATION

1988 HAVE ALL BEEN

AND VOLUNTARY PEOPLE ARRIVING AFTER JUNE 16,

FOR WISHING APPLICANTS HAVE NOT BEEN QUESTIONED AS TO THEIR TO RETURN," MR BARNES POINTED OUT.

REASONS

"NOR HAVE THOSE EXPLAIN THEIR REASONS FOR DOING SO.

WHO

CHANGE

THEIR

MINDS BEEN

REQUIRED

TO

"WE THUS HAVE

NO

INFORMATION RELIABLE

AS ΤΟ

WHY

SOME

"

APPLICATIONS HAVE BEEN WITHDRAWN,

HOWEVER, MR BARNES

REPATRIATION OF A SIZEABLE

BELIEVED

VOLUNTEERS GROUP OF

THE

EARLY

AND WOULD

SUCCESSFUL

UNDOUBTEDLY

ASSIST AND PROMOTE THE PROCESS OF VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION.

/"ONCE THOSE