XN000022-1989-05-17 — Page 6

WEDNESDAY, MAY 17, 1989

4

"RECALLING THE COMMITMENTS MADE AT THE CONFERENCE ON REFUGEES AND DISPLACED PERSONS MR ASPREY SAID: "IT IS PLAIN THAT NOT ALL HAVE COMMITMENTS THEY GAVE THERE."

1979 UNITED NATIONS ASIA, IN SOUTHEAST HONOURED EQUALLY THE

KONG AND COUNTRIES IN ARRIVALS FROM WOULD PREVENT

THREEFOLD: HONG THE COMMITMENTS WERE THE REGION WOULD CONTINUE TO OFFER TEMPORARY ASYLUM TO

OTHERS VIETNAM;

WOULD RESETTLE THEM; AND VIETNAM FURTHER DEPARTURES.

MR ASPREY SAID HONG KONG SEEKERS HAD BEEN TURNED AWAY,

HAD KEPT ITS

WORD AND NO ASYLUM..

"WE HAVE FED, SHELTERED AND CARED FOR NEARLY PEOPLE FROM VIETNAM.

150,000

BOAT

WE ARE VERY "OF THESE, OVER 116,000 HAVE BEEN RESETTLED, AND

ΤΟ HELPED

EASE OUR GRATEFUL TO THE RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES WHO HAVE BURDEN, HE SAID.

H

REFUGEES VIETNAMESE

FROM THE MAIN RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES FOR

OVER 64,000, HONG KONG HAD BEEN THE UNITED STATES WHICH HAD TAKEN IN

HAD CANADA WHICH HAD ACCEPTED NEARLY 21,000, THE UNITED KINGDOM WHICH

HAD ADMITTED SIX AND A RESETTLED OVER 13,000, AND AUSTRALIA WHICH HALF THOUSAND.

ACTION

ΤΟ

PREVENT

HOWEVER, THERE HAD BEEN NO EFFECTIVE DEPARTURES FROM VIETNAM, PARTICULARLY IN THE LAST TWO YEARS.

MR ASPREY SAID ARRIVALS OF BOAT THIS YEAR HAD TOTALLED NEARLY 8,500 AND HIGHEST LEVEL IN THE LAST 10 YEARS.

PEOPLE FROM VIETNAM SO FAR WERE NOW RUNNING AT THEIR

"THIS HAS STRETCHED OUR RESOURCES TO THE LIMIT.

"WE ARE FACING MAJOR PROBLEMS IN

PROVIDING THE ACCOMMODATION

AND MANPOWER TO COPE WITH THIS INFLUX.

"AND I BELIEVE THAT UNDERLYING THE CONCERN EXPRESSED BY THE VICTIMS MEMBERS IN THIS DEBATE IS THE BELIEF THAT WE HAVE BECOME OF OUR OWN WILLINGNESS TO HONOUR OUR COMMITMENTS, HE SAID.

T+

THAT

SUGGESTION AS TO SOME MEMBERS'

THAT THE POLICY OF GRANTING FIRST ASYLUM SHOULD BE CHANGED, MR ASPREY SAID HE BELIEVED THAT WAS NOT THE ANSWER TO THE PROBLEM.

HE SAID AS THE PROBLEM WAS NOT OF HONG KONG'S SOLUTION DID NOT LIE IN OUR HANDS ALONE.

MAKING,

SO

THE

"WE NEED THE HELP AND CO-OPERATION OF

THE INTERNATIONAL

+

COMMUNITY.

"THE CONSEQUENCE OF ABANDONING

THE

POLICY

WOULD

BE THAT ASYLUM SEEKERS WOULD BE

FORCED

OF FIRST ASYLUM IN BACK TO SEA

UNSEAWORTHY BOATS.

"SUCH A ...