XN000022-1991-06-25 — Page 5

TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 1991

GOVT WELCOMES VMS' VOLUNTARY RETURN TO VIETNAM

*

THE FOLLOWING

ACTING REFUGEE STATEMENT

TODAY

PRESS BNQUIRIES,

THE

MADE

IN CO-ORDINATOR,

(TUESDAY):

RESPONSE TO

ALEX MR

FONG,

VOLUNTEERS ON THE AND EXPRESSED HOPE THAT

THE GOVERNMENT WELCOMED THE RETURN OF 233 TWO VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION FLIGHTS TODAY THERE WOULD BE RENEWED AND EXPANDED INTEREST IN RETURN TO THE VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS CROWDING THE CAMPS HERE.

VIETNAM BY

"THERE WILL BE ANOTHER FLIGHT ON FRIDAY (JUNE 28) Fok ABOUT

250 VM'S AND THE UNHCR IS ARRANGING MORE FLIGHTS IN JULY.

TO NOTE

THE UPTURN IN THE VOLUNTARY IS ENCOURAGING "IT

NOW BUILT UP SUSTAINED, PROGRAMME, AND WE HOPE TO SEE THE MOMENTUM WITH NUMBERS APPLYING FOR RETURN TO VIETNAM CONTINUING TO INCREASE.

"MANY RECENT ARRIVALS WERE VICTIMS OF RUMOURS, DRIVEN

MORK PROSPEROUS

HERE BY.

THE FOLLOWING APRIL/MAY, WE HAVE.

BEFORTS COUNSELLING

LIFE OVERSEAS. FALSE HOPES OF A CONCLUSION OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING IN

OUR STEPPED UP IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE UNHCR, WHICH HELPED TO DISPEL SOME OF THE RUMOURS.

"AS MANY

REALISED THEY HAD

BEEN

ACTION

HAD

RETURN

WISELY

TO

THRY 19 ΤΟ

AT THE STEERING

MISLED,

THEM FOR DECIDED THAT THE BEST COURSE OF VIETNAM UNDER THE VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION PROGRAMME.

OF ACTION WAS REAFFIRMED COMMITTEE MEETING, THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

CAMPS THAT THERE · IS NO AND IT SHOULD NOW BE CLEAR TO THOSE IN THE POSSIBILITY OF ANY CHANGES IN POLICY AND THAT THERE IS NO PROSPECT RESETTLEMENT FOR THE SCREENED-OUT.

"RECENT

DISCUSSIONS IN WASHINGTON ON THE

SETTING UP INTERNATIONALLY MANAGED CENTRES FOR THE

POSSIBILITY SCREENED-OUT

VIETNAM HAD HELPED TO REINFORCE THIS MESSAGE TO THOSE IN THE CAMPS HONG KONG.

*

OF

OF

IN

IN

75

4.