XN000022-1989-06-16 — Page 27

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FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 1989

QUESTION;

GOVERNOR:

QUESTION:

GOVERNOR:

DAVID

SCHLESINGER (REUTER):

GOVERNOR:

DAVID

SCHLESINGER:

GOVERNOR:

BUT AFTER 1997, I MIGHT SUGGEST THAT THE PENALTY MAY NOT BE COMMUTED QUITE 30 OFTEN.

WELL, AFTER 1997, WHETHER OR NOT YOU TOOK IT OFF THE STATUTE BOOKS, IT IS SURELY UP TO

THE LEGISLATURE AFTER 1997 TO DECIDE THAT SHOULD BE ON THE STATUTE BOOKS. IF YOU TAKE IT OFF, IT IS QUITE POSSIBLE THAT THE LEGISLATURE WOULD WISH TO PUT IT ON AGAIN; IT'S THEIR RIGHT.

BUT IF IT'S ALREADY IN PLACE, IT WILL BE MUCH EASIER FOR THEM, WON'T IT?

MUCH DIFFERENCE IF IT IS WHICH IS A STRONGLY HELD VIEW OF THE

I DON'T THINK IT MAKES SOMETHING COMMUNITY.

TURNING BACK TO THE VIETNAMESE PROBLEM FOR A MOMENT. ARE YOU DISAPPOINTED THAT THE DIFFICULT QUESTION OF INVOLUNTARY REPATRIATION WAS PUT OFF YET AGAIN, UNTIL OCTOBER? CAN HONG KONG, PHYSICALLY, WAIT 80 LONG?

I'M DISAPPOINTED THAT THERE ARE LARGE SECTIONS OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WHO SIMPLY WILL NOT FACE FACTS. AND WHO ON THE ONE HAND WILL SAY THAT THERE'S NO QUESTION OF RESETTLEMENT IN THIRD COUNTRIES FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT REFUGEES, AND ON THE OTHER HAND WILL SAY THAT THEY SHOULD NOT GO BACK то VIETNAM UNLESS THEY POSITIVELY VOLUNTEER TO DO SO. TO MY MIND, THAT IS ILLOGICAL, AND INDEED, I THINK IT IS INHUMANE. BECAUSE WHAT IT IS SAYING IS THAT THOSE PEOPLE SHOULD SIMPLY PILE UP IN CAMPS ROUND THE REGION. AND A POINT THAT I MADE AT GENEVA, WHICH A LOT OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD SIMPLY DON'T SEEM TO UNDERSTAND, IS THAT WE'RE SEEING A MOVEMENT OF FAMILIES. OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE'VE GOT COMING HERE FROM NORTH VIETNAM THEY ARE NEARLY ALL FROM NORTH VIETNAM

THEM HALF OF

ARE AGED 20 OR UNDER. A THIRD OF THEM ARE CHILDREN OF 15 OR UNDER. SO WHAT THAT SECTION OF INTERNATIONAL OPINION IS SAYING: THESE YOUNG CHILDREN, THESE YOUNG PEOPLE, SHOULD SIMPLY REMAIN IN CAMPS FOR YEAR AFTER YEAR BECAUSE THE WORLD COMMUNITY WON'T FACE THE FACT THAT THEY OUGHT TO GO BACK TO THEIR OWN HOMELAND

UNDER ACCEPTABLE CIRCUMSTANCES.

OF COURSE THEY MUST BE ACCEPTABLE.

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J

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THAT SEEMS TO BE A REFERENCE TO THE UNITED STATES?

IT'S NOT SIMPLY TO THE UNITED STATES BECAUSE IT WASN'T ONLY THE UNITED STATES THAT PUT FORWARD THAT VIEW. THERE WERE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO PUT FORWARD THAT VIEW. IT INCLUDED THE UNITED STATES.

/QUESTION:

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