XN000022-1989-09-18 — Page 2

MONDAY. SEPTEMBER 18. 1989

NO ALTERNATIVE TO REPATRIATION FOR MAJORITY OF VBP

* * *

MAJORITY MAKE A MORE

THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE TO REPATRIATION FOR THE VAST OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE WHO RISK THEIR LIVES AND SAFETY TO HAZARDOUS VOYAGE, AND THE SOONER THAT MESSAGE IS UNDERSTOOD THE HUMAN MISERY CAN BE AVOIDED, THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS, MR FRANCIS MAUDE, SAID TODAY (MONDAY).

AND

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER VISITING A VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE FIRST PRIORITY DETENTION CENTRE AT HEI LING CHAU, MR MAUDE SAID THE WAS TO ENCOURAGE

THROUGH VOLUNTARILY

COUNSELLING.

VIETNAM PEOPLE TO RETURN TO

"THE SECOND PRIORITY IS TO WORK WITH THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO FIND PERMANENT SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM.

WHO ARE THERE

"EVERY

COUNTRY SINGLE

HAS AGREED THAT FOR THOSE SCREENED OUT. FOR THOSE WHO ARE DETERMINED NOT TO BE REFUGEES, IS NO ALTERNATIVE TO RETURNING TO VIETNAM. HE SAID.

"THERE 1S NO COUNTRY WHICH BELIEVES ALTERNATIVE, AND WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS WORK INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO MAKE THAT A REALITY.

THAT

THERE

IS

TOGETHER

WITH

AN THIE

"TO MAKE IT UNDERSTOOD BY THOSE WHO ARE HERE ALREADY WHO MAY BE THINKING OF TRYING TO COME HERE, THAT THAT THE FUTURE HOLDS," MR MAUDE POINTED OUT.

THOSE

THE

AND TO

IS WHAT

DOUBT WHETHER

NOTED MINISTER

SERIOUS THAT THERE WAS A VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION ON ITS OWN WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM.

WHEN WE

"I THINK IT'S IN THE HIGHEST DEGREE UNLIKELY THAT IT WILL SOLVE THE PROBLEM FULLY. SO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO 18 MAKE SURE THAT MOVE TO OTHER SYSTEMS OF REPATRIATION, THAT IT WORKS.

"AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON AT THE MOMENT TO ENSURE WHEN THAT PROCESS STARTS THAT IT IS SUCCESSFUL. WHAT WE CANNOT DO RUSH INTO ANOTHER SYSTEM PRECIPITATELY AND RISK THE DANGER OF IT SUCCEEDING. MR MAUDE SAID.

H

THAT

IS

NOT

THE MINISTER SAID HE WAS ENORMOUSLY IMPRESSED BY THE WERE DEALING WITH WHAT AUTHORITIES WHICH THE HONG KONG

INTENSELY DIFFICULT PROBLEM.

WAY IN WAS

AN

HERE ARE

"I THINK THE CONDITIONS IN WHICH PEOPLE ARE LIVING REMARKABLY GOOD GIVEN THE INEVITABLE CONSTRAINTS OF A LOT OF PEOPLE IN A VERY SMALL AREA. AND I THINK A LOT OF CONGRATULATIONS ARE DUE TO THE ARE ADDRESSING THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES FOR THE WAY IN WHICH THEY DIFFICULTIES." HE SAID.

/MR MAUDE