XN000022-1990-01-26 — Page 4

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 26, 1990

"ANY COMMUNITY IS ULTIMATELY COMPOSED OF A NUMBER OF FAMILIES. AND THE NEW YEAR IS ABOVE ALL A FESTIVAL WHEN FAMILIES SPEND TIME TOGETHER. WHEN PEOPLE PAY RESPECTS про THEIR ELDERS. MAKE MUCH THEIR CHILDREN AND VISIT RELATIVES AND FRIENDS.

-

OF

I

"AT THE START OF THIS NEW DECADE

MY MY WIFE.

FAMILY AND MYSELF WOULD LIKE TO WISH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF

YOU. AND THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. PROSPERITY AND EVERY HAPPINESS FOR THIS YEAR OF THE HORSE.

MAJOR STEP BY STEERING COMMITTEE

*

THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY. MR GEOFFREY BARNES. TODAY (FRIDAY) UNDERLINED THE IMPORTANCE OF THE FACT THAT THE PRINCIPLE OF MANDATORY REPATRIATION HAD NOW BEEN ACCEPTED BY THE WORLD COMMUNITY AT THE STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING ON VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN GENEVA.

SPEAKING TO THE MEDIA ON HIS RETURN FROM THE MEETING. MR BARNES SAID HE HOPED THAT THIS IN ITSELF WAS GOING TO HELP STEM BOAT PEOPLE COMING TO HONG KONG.

"IT IS A MAJOR STEP FOR THE STEERING COMMITTEE то HAVE GOT FAR. WHAT IS LEFT UNDECIDED IS THE REALISTIC TIMING FOR

THAT MANDATORY REPATRIATION TO START. HE SAID.

MR BARNES SAID THAT AS DECIDED BY THE STEERING COMMITTEE AS A WHOLE. THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES. MR THORVALD STOLTENBERG. HAD BEEN ASKED TO MEDIATE AND TO CONSULT WITH THE UNITED STATES AND THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENTS BEFORE THE END OF NEXT WEEK IN AN EFFORT TO FIND A SOLUTION.

"MR STOLTENBERG WILL REPORT TO HEADQUARTERS IN GENEVA ON THE OUTCOME OF THE CONSULTATIONS. HE SAID.

"THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT: IT MEANS THE UNHCR WILL BE GETTING INVOLVED NOW IN CONSULTATIONS IN TRYING TO FIND A SOLUTION.

MR BARNES SAID HONG KONG STILL HAD A BILATERAL THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT ON MANDATORY REPATRIATION.

AGREEMENT WITH

"WE SHALL, OBVIOUSLY CONSIDER FURTHER ACTION IN THAT DIRECTION IN THE LIGHT OF THE OUTCOMP OF MR STOLTENBERG'S EFFORTS.

"WE HOPE THE UNITED STATES IMMEDIATELY ON THE EXTRAORDINARY AND THEY HAVE TAKEN IN THE MATTER,

AND

VIETNAM WIED

INDEFENSIBLE

REFLECT POSITIONS WILCH

/"THESE TWO