XN000022-1990-12-06 — Page 7

VBP PROBLEM MAY UNDERMINE PROTECTION FOR REFUGEES

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REFUGEES NEED PROTECTION AND THIS PROTECTION IS AT RISK UNLESS THE PROBLEM OF THE NON-REFUGEES CAN BE DEALT WITH IN A FAIR AND COMPASSIONATE, YET REALISTIC, MANNER WHICH DOES NOT OVERWHELM RESOURCES OF THE COUNTRIES OF FIRST ASYLUM AND OF RESETTLEMENT, SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, MR ALISTAIR ASPREY, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).

THE

THE

HONG

AND

MR ASPREY NOTED THAT IT WAS SOMETIMES REPRESENTED THAT KONG'S POLICY ON THE VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE WAS A PERVERSE MALICIOUS INVENTION OF THE GOVERNMENT TO DENY THE OPPORTUNITIES OF RESETTLEMENT TO THOSK WHOM THE COUNTRIES IN THE WKST WERK ONLY TOO ANXIOUS TO ACCEPT.

"NOTHING OF COURSE COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH," HE AT A LUNCHEON MEETING OF LIONS CLUB INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT 303.

SAID

IT IS PRECISELY BECAUSE THE RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES OF THE WEST WERE UNWILLING TO ACCEPT THOSE WHO WERE NOT REFUGEES THAT WE HAD ΤΟ INTRODUCE SCREENING, AND THAT WE MUST MAINTAIN THE INTEGRITY OF OUR SCREENING PROCEDURES, HE SAID.

"I DO NOT CLAIM THAT THE SCREENING SYSTEM'S PROCEDURES ARE PERFECT. BUT WITHIN THE INEVITABLE CONSTRAINTS OF HUMAN FALLIBILITY, OUR PROCEDURES HAVE BEEN CAREFULLY DESIGNED IN FULL CONSULTATION THE UNHCR."

WITH

THE PROCEDURES WERE BASED ON THE INTERNATIONALLY ACCEPTED CRITERIA FOR REFUGEE STATUS, THEY USED THE UNHCR DESIGNED QUESTIONNAIRE, THEY ALLOWED FOR UNHOR MONITORING AND LEGAL ADVICE TO ASYLUM SEEKERS, AND THE STAFF INVOLVED IN STATUS DETERMINATION HAD RECEIVED TRAINING FROM THE UNHCR, HE SAID.

HE ADDED THAT THE GOVERNMENT EMPLOYED OVER 300 STAFF IN THE SCREENING AND REVIEW PROCESS, AT A COST OF OVER $100 MILLION PER YEAR.

"WE HAVE TO BALANCE THE NEED FOR THOROUGHNESS AGAINST THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE AND THE WISH TO KEEP PEOPLE WAITING AS SHORT A TIME AS POSSIBLE FOR CONSIDERATION AND DECISION OF THEIR CASE," HE SAID.

HE SAID HE WOULD LIKE TO REDUCE THE TIME WHICH PEOPLE HAD ΤΟ WAIT FOR SCREENING. BUT THIS COULD NOT BE DONE AT THE EXPENSE OF THOROUGHNESS AND FAIRNESS.

I THEREFORE FIND IT IRONIC THAT ESSENTIALLY THE SAME PEOPLE WILL CRITICISE US ON THE ONE HAND FOR BEING тоо SLOW, AND ON THE OTHER HAND, WHEN IT SUITS THEM, FOR BEING TOO HASTY,

11 HE ADDED.

ON THE ARRIVALS AND DEPARTURES OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE, ASPREY HOPED THAT ARRIVALS WOULD BE REDUCED MUCH FURTHER IN 1991.

MR

/"WE SHALL