XN000022-1990-09-23 — Page 2

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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1990

HANOI AGREEMENT IS IMPORTANT PROGRESS: GOVERNOR

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THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON, SAID TODAY (SUNDAY) THAT THE AGREEMENT REACHED IN HANOI YESTERDAY ON THE VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE

IN HONG KONG, WAS AN IMPORTANT STEP IN THE PROCESS OF RETURNING ALL THE NON-REFUGEES BACK TO VIETNAM.

WEEK

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER OPENING THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN WAN CHAI, SIR DAVID SAID: "WHAT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED IS AN ACCELERATED PROGRAMME, BOTH FOR THOSE Who volunteER AND FOR THOSE DON'T ACTIVELY VOLUNTEER.

"THE UNHCR ARB VERY CLOSELY INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS, IN INCHING THE WAY FORWARD IS WHAT IT REALLY IS. MOVING FROM STRAIGHTFORWARD VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION TO ARRANGEMENTS FOR RETURNING VIETNAM PEOPLE WHO HAVEN'T ACTIVELY VOLUNTEERED, WITH UNHCR FULLY INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS. I SEE THAT IS IMPORTANT, HE SAID.

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"THE DETAILS, THE ACTUAL DATES ARE STILL TO BE FIXED. BUT I HOPE THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO START ON THIS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, THE GOVERNOR SAID.

甲申

"WHAT

THIS

VERY

LOOK TO 19 UNHCR TO PLAY A VERY ACTIVE PART IN PROCESS. A LOT OF COUNSELLING IS GOING TO Be needed AND THAT IS MUCH GOING TO BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE UNHCR, HE ADDED.

.

ASKED IF HE THOUGHT MANDATORY REPATRIATION WOULD GO BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR, SIR DAVID SAID: "I CERTAINLY HOPE IT GO AHEAD BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR. WE DO NEED TO GET ON WITH WHOLE BUSINESS AS QUICKLY AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.

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AHEAD

WILL

THIS

THE

RESPONDING TO A QUESTION ABOUT THE NUMBER TO BE SENT BACK, GOVERNOR SAID: "I DON'T THINK THERE IS ANY WAY YOU COULD POSSIBLY MAKE AN ESTIMATE LIKE THAT ANY MORE THAN YOU CAN MAKE A PRECISE ESTIMATE OF HOW MANY WILL VOLUNTEER.

H

WHOLE

"THE IMPORTANT POINT IN THIS IS THAT IT IS MOVING FORWARD THE PROCESS OF RETURNING PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT REFUGEES. THAT

THE

KEY POINT," HE SAID.

IS

"THE OBJECTIVE IS TO RETURN TO VIETNAM ALL THOSE WHO ARE FOUND NOT TO BE REFUGEES, IT MUST BE THE OBJECTIVE. YOU CANNOT HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE NON-REFUGEES SPENDING YEAR AFTER YEAR IN CAMPS. THAT IS SIMPLY NOT RIGHT, SIR DAVID SAID.

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