XN000022-1991-06-05 — Page 5

3

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 1991

"WOULD

WE,

AS A COMMUNITY, BE WILLING TO

DROWN? SURELY NOT. I ACTION ON THE SAME DAY RIGHTS.

++

LET THESE PEOPLE OF CAN'T BELIEVE WE COULD SUGGEST THIS COURSE THAT THE COUNCIL HAD PASSED THE BILL OF

MR STRACHAN

THE

SAID HONG

KONG WOULD

ALSO HAVE

ΤΟ

REMAINING

52,000

FACE AN

VIETNAMESE

INTERNATIONAL OUTCRY, WHICH WOULD PUT AT RISK OUR PROSPECTS FOR RESETTLING

6,000 REFUGEES AND THE MIGRANTS NOW IN HONG KONG.

**WK

WOULD ALSO PREJUDICE INTERNATIONAL ATTITUDES TOWARDS KONG IN OTHER AREAS, SUCH AS TRADE, FINANCE AND OUR FUTURE, AREAS WHICH WE HAVE VERY IMPORTANT INTERESTS,

HONG IN

"OUR ABILITY TO ACT UNILATERALLY, EVEN WITH THE FIRM SUPPORT OF HMG, TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM IS EXTREMELY LIMITED, THOUGH, OF COURSE, WE ARE CONTINUALLY EXAMINING THE OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO US.

++

ON THE OTHER HAND, MR STRACHAN SAID IF

KONG WAS TO HONG

BE MAINTAIN FIRST ASYLUM, THE BALANCE OF OBLIGATIONS IN THE CPA MUST IMPLEMENTED IN FULL WITH PLACES OF FIRST ASYLUM HAVING TO ADMIT ASYLUM ΤΟ TAKE SEEKERS AND DETERMINE THEIR STATUS; RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES

REFUGEES;

AND AND THE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN GENUINE

THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE TO ACCEPT THAT NON-REFUGEES MUST RETURN HOME WITH ASSISTANCE AND GUARANTEES AS TO THEIR FUTURE TREATMENT.

HONG KONG HAD

STRACHAN STRESSED MR

THAT

FULFILLED OBLIGATIONS TO THE LETTER, BUT OTHERS WERE NOT FULFILLING THEIRS.

ITS

EXPENSE

SEEKERS EACH

"WE HAVE PROVIDED ASYLUM AND CONTINUED AT CONSIDERABLE DETERMINE THE STATUS OF MANY HUNDREDS OF NEW ASYLUM

TO WEEK.

"OUR SCREENING SYSTEM, WHICH THOSE WITH NO RESPONSIBILITY SOLVING THIS PROBLEM HAVE CHOSE OFTEN TO CRITICISE, HAS BEEN FOUND BE GENERALLY FAIR AND ACCURATE.

FOR

то

"WE CONTINUE TO IMPROVE IT AS FAR AS WE CAN.

FOR

"AND YET ONCE STATUS HAS BEEN DETERMINED, WHAT RELIEF IS

NON-REFUGEE?" HE HONG KONG AND WHAT PROSPECTS ARE THERE FOR THE

THERE

ASKED.

HE NOTED THAT THE VOLUNTEER SCHEME SHOWED SOME SIGNS OF PICKING ABOUT UP AGAIN. HOWEVER, THE NUMBER OF VM'S RETURNED LAST MONTH WAS HALF AS MANY AS CAME AS NEW ARRIVALS ON ANY ONE DAY IN THE SAME MONTH.

AS

"WE HAVE OVER 18,000 VIETNAMESE WHO HAVE BEEN SCREENED OUT

TO VIETNAM. NON-REFUGEES. THEY ARE BEING HELD PENDING REPATRIATION MOST OF THEM SHOW NO INTEREST IN THE VOLUNTEER SCHEME.

"WE

THIS CENTRAL

ARE TRYING TO GET THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO FOCUS

ISSUE.

ON

"IT

AND THEIR IS WHOLLY WRONG THAT MANY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE

CONDITIONS, CHILDREN SIT IN OUR CAMPS, IN CROWDED AND OFTEN DIFFICULT BELIEVING IN SOME FUTILE WAY THAT THE IMMIGRATION POLICIES OF THE AND OTHER COUNTRIES ARE GOING TO CHANGE.

USA

/"SOONER, RATHER