XN000022-1989-05-17 — Page 12

10

WEDNESDAY, MAY 17, 1989

NEVERTHELESS. HE SAID THAT SCREENING ALSO IMPLIED 1 HEAVIER BURDEN ON COUNTRIES OF FIRST ASYLUM WITHOUT THE CERTAINTY OF THE ACCEPTANCE BY THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPATRIATION OF ALL THOSE WHO WERE SCREENED OUT.

THE SCREENING POLICY WOULD NOT MAKE SENSE ENLESS THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SECURED A COMMITMENT FROM VIETNAM TO ACCEPT THE REPATRIATION OF ALL BOAT PEOPLE WHO FAILED THE SCREENING TEST.

EVEN IF A PERSON WAS CLASSIFIED AS NOT A REFUGEE. HE WAS STILL A RESPONSIBILITY OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, IN PARTICULAR THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PARTICIPANTS OF THE 1979 GENEVA CONFERENCE.

'NOTHING IN THE WORLD CAN

EXCULPATE ANY OF THESE COUNTRIES

FROM THIS RESPONSIBILITY, HEAVY THOUGH IT IS," HE SAID.

MR SAID SIT HE WAS CONVINCED THAT MOST OF THE ARRIVALS IN RECENT YEARS HAD BEEN PROMPTED TO LEAVE VIETNAM FOR ECONOMIC REASONS ONLY AND HENCE DID NOT QUALIFY AS REFUGEES, AND HE FELT THAT THEY SHOULD BE RETURNED TO VIETNAM IN ACCORDANCE WITH INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION.

BUT WHILE REFATRIATION WAS THE ONLY DETERRENT то A FURTHER EXODUS OF VIETNAMESE FROM THEIR COUNTRY, RESETTLEMENT WAS ANOTHER INDISPENSABLE COMPONENT OF A DURABLE SOLUTION ΤΟ THE PROBLEM.

BOAT PEOPLE

COUNTRIES TO

"WITHOUT A RENEWED COMMITMENT FROM RESETTLEMENT INCREASE RESETTLEMENT OFF-TAKES AND ΤΟ CLEAR THE BACKLOG OF LONG-STAYERS IN THE COUNTRIES OF FIRST ASYLUM, THERE IS NO

REAL HOPE OF RESOLVING THE PROBLEMS CAUSED BY THE PRESENCE OF A LARGE NUMBER REFUGEES IN THESE TERRITORIES," HE SAID,

HE ALSO SAID IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT THE INTERNATIONAL. SHOULD DO SOMETHING POSITIVE TO HELF THE VIETNAMESE RECONSTRUCT ITS WAR-TORN ECONOMY SO THAT ITS PEOPLE WOULD LEAVE IN SEARCH OF A BETTER LIFE.

OF

COMMUNITY GOVERNMENT NO LONGER

MR SIT SAID HE REGRETTED THAT WHILE HONG KONG HAD ABIDED BY THE 1979 GENEVA CONFERENCE, AND HAD NEVER TURNED AWAY ANY BOAT PEOPLE ARRIVING IN ITS WATERS, THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY HAD NOT UPHELD THEIR AGREEMENT.

NOT ONLY HAVE RESETTLEMENT OPPORTUNITIES DWINDLED BECAUSE OF THE REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF PLACES OFFERED BY THE RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES AND THE MORE STRINGENT CRITERIA FOR THE SELECTION OF REFUGEES USED. BUT WE WERE REQUIRED TO SHOULDER A GREATER PORTION OF THE FINANCIAL BURDEN FOR MAINTAINING THE VIETNAMESE WHO ARRIVED IN HONG HONG.

"MOREOVER, THE UNHCR HAS USED THE CLOSED CENTRE POLICY AS AN EXCUSE FOR NOT INCREASING THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO HONG KONG AND HAS USED FINANCIAL RESOURCES AS THE BARGAINING CHIP TO PRESS US TO LIBERALISE OUR CLOSED CENTRES," HE SAID.

/COMMENTING THAT