MONDAY, APRIL 9, 1990
MINISTER OF STATE SPEAKS ON VBP ISSUE
* * *
LA.. T
REPEATED,
HONG KONG IS ENTITLED TO HOPE THAT THE BURDEN IT SUFFERED YEAR WITH THE INFLUX OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE, WILL NOT BE THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS, MR FRANCIS MAUDE, SAID TODAY (MONDAY).
SPEAKING
ΤΟ REPORTERS AFTER
VISITING THE
WHITEHEAD
VBP THAT IT
IN VIETNAM
DETENTION CENTRE, MR MAUDE SAID THE ONLY WAY OF MAKING SURE WON'T BE REPEATED, WAS TO GET THE MESSAGE FIRMLY ACROSS THAT ALL THEY FACED IF THEY CAME HERE WAS A SPELL IN A DETENTION CENTRE AND A RETURN TRIP TO VIETNAM,
"I
GOT HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THE ONE THING ABOVE ALL THAT MESSAGE ACROSS IN VIETNAM WAS US TAKING A DIFFICULT DECISION BACK DECEMBER TO RETURN A PLANELOAD OF PEOPLE, MANDATORY REPATRIATEES, ADDITION TO THE VOLUNTARY PROGRAMME REPATRIATION.
"THAT SENT A VERY CLEAR SIGNAL TO VIETNAM THAT THERE IS NOT OPTION ABOUT WHERE THEY GO FROM HERE. THOSE WHO AREN'T REFUGEES, ONLY PLACE FOR THEM TO GO IS BACK TO VIETNAM," MR MAUDE SAID.
HE
BEST
THAT
IN
IN
AN
THE
OUT THAT HONG KONG WAS MAKING POINTED
THE
POSSIBLE PROVISIONS AGAINST THERE BEING A NEW INFLUX OF BOAT PEOPLE THIS YEAR.
TURNING TO THE SCREENING POLICY, THE MINISTER SAID THERE INDICATIONS THAT THE NUMBERS OF NEW ARRIVALS THIS YEAR MIGHT
ADDING: "SO I THINK THERE IS GROUND FOR HOPING THAT THE
SOME
LESS,
IS WORKING.
MR
WERE
BE POLICY
AND
CENTRES PEACE,
HAD
AN
AND
IN
SENSIBLY
BE
SAID
MAUDE
THOSE RUNNING THE DETENTION DIFFICULT TASK IN MAINTAINING ORDER INTENSELY PROVIDING THE SORT OF CONDITIONS IN WHICH PEOPLE COULD COUNSELLED ABOUT THEIR PROSPECTS.
"BECAUSE THESE ARE ALL PEOPLE HERE WHO ARE GOING TO GO BACK VIETNAM, AND THE SOONER IT CAN BE EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT THAT IS THEY OPTION, THAT IS THE ONLY OPTION AVAILABLE, AND THE SOONER UNDERSTAND THAT AND TAKE THE DECISION, PREFERABLY VOLUNTARILY, TO
HE SAID. BACK THEMSELVES, THE BETTER IT WILL BE FOR EVERYBODY,
MR MAUDE POINTED OUT THAT THERE WAS AN EXISTING AGREEMENT VIETNAM WHICH ALLOWED NON-VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION TO TAKE PLACE.
TO
THE CAN
GO
WITH
WE'VE
"WE
HAVEN'T SORT TO ACTIVATE THAT BECAUSE AT THE MOMENT
MESSAGE GOT A BACKLOG OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE VOLUNTEERED TO GO BACK. THE OF THE FIRST MANDATORY REPATRIATION HAS, I BELIEVE, BEEN UNDERSTOOD IN VIETNAM.
WE'VE CLEARED
"AND UNTIL
THE BACKLOG OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE VOLUNTEERED TO RETURN AND WHO ARE STILL WAITING IN CAMPS IN HONG KONG, AGREEMENT I DON'T THINK IT'S SENSIBLE OR NECESSARY TO TRY TO USE THAT ON MANDATORY REPATRIATION, HE SAID.
/"THE MAIN
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