XN000022-1989-10-25 — Page 6

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1989

EARLY START ON REPATRIATION A FIRM OBJECTIVE

IT IS CLEARLY IMPORTANT FOR HONG KONG ΤΟ HAVE THE DETERRENT VALUE OF REPATRIATION OF VIETNAMESE NON-REFUGEES IN PLACE BEFORE THE START OF THE NEXT SAILING SEASON. THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY. THE HON GEOFFREY BARNES, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

"I HOPE MEMBERS WILL UNDERSTAND THAT I CANNOT BE MORE SPECIFIC AT THIS STAGE, BUT I CAN SAY THAT THE EARLY IMPLEMENTATION OF REPATRIATION REMAINS OUR FIRM OBJECTIVE," MR BARNES SAID IN REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON HUI YIN-FAT.

HE ALSO SAID THE GOVERNMENT BELIEVED THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF ACTION (CPA) APPROVED BY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IN JUNE THIS YEAR OFFERED THE BEST CHANCE OF ACHIEVING HUMANE AND DURABLE SOLUTIONS TO THE VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE PROBLEM.

"THERE ARE THEREFORE NO PLANS AT THIS STAGE TO CONSIDER THE ADOPTION OF OTHER MEASURES OR TO REVIEW THE POLICY OF GRANTING FIRST ASYLUM TO VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE,

14 HE SAID.

MR BARNES POINTED OUT THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD NUMBER OF OCCASIONS THAT IT HOPED TO BE ABLE TO START NON-REFUGEES AS SOON AS ARRANGEMENTS HAD BEEN CONCLUDED.

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REPATRIATING

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"THESE DEPEND ON PROGRESS IN OUR BILATERAL AND MULTILATERAL DISCUSSIONS, HE SAID.

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MR BARNES SAID THE GOVERNMENT BELIEVED THAT THAT ALL ELEMENTS OF THE CPA SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED.

IT WAS ESSENTIAL

THE MOST IMPORTANT OF THESE FOR HONG KONG WERE: FIRST ASYLUM, SCREENING, RESETTLEMENT OF REFUGEES, AND REPATRIATION OF NON-REFUGEES.

"THE FIRST THREE ELEMENTS ARE NOW FIRMLY IN PLACE, BUT PROGRESS ON THE FOURTH HAS BEEN DISAPPOINTING. HE SAID.

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TO BE EFFECTIVE, THE CPA MUST BECOME IN PRACTICE WHAT IT WAS MEANT TO BE, A PLAN OF ACTION WHICH WAS IMPLEMENTED FAIRLY, FIRMLY AND FULLY.

THE GOVERNMENT WOULD THEREFORE CONTINUE WITH ITS EFFORTS TO ESTABLISH AN EARLY REPATRIATION PROGRAMME FOR NON-REFUGEES, AS WELL AS FULLY SUPPORTING VOLUNTARY RETURNS.

"WE SEE THESE TWO MODES OF RETURN TO VIETNAM AS BEING COMPLEMENTARY AND PERFECTLY CAPABLE OF CONTINUING ALONGSIDE EACH OTHER IN FUTURE,' MR BARNES SAID.

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