XN000022-1991-10-18 — Page 2

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1991

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GOVERNOR TALKS ON VM ISSUE ON HIS RETURN

VERY

THE

THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON, TODAY (FRIDAY) SAID IT 19 WELCOME THAT THERE SEEMS TO BE A GENERAL RECOGNITION ON VIETNAMESE SIDE THAT THOSE WHO ARE NOT FOUND TO BE REFUGEES SHOULD RETURN TO THEIR HOMES.

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SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AT THE AIRPORT ON HIS RETURN FROM LONDON, SIR DAVID SAID: "WE'RE STILL WORKING AWAY AT TRYING TO GET INTO PLACÉ ALL THE AGREEMENTS THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR RETURNING TO THEIR HOMES IN VIETNAM PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT REFUGEES."

"WE WOULD LIKE TO DO IT AS SOON AS WE POSSIBLY CAN," HE ADDED.

THE GOVERNOR POINTED OUT THAT THE DISCUSSIONS ARE WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF VIETNAM, NOT WITH THE UNITED STATES. HOWEVER, HE SAID: "WE ALSO HOPE THOUGH, THAT THE UNITED STATES WHICH IS A MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR TO THE UNHCR FUNDING, WILL UNDERSTAND WHAT WE ARE DOING."

"AND ABOVE ALL THAT THEY WILL UNDERSTAND THAT ONLY IF YOU CAN RETURN TO THEIR HOMES, NON-REFUGEES, CAN YOU LOOK AFTER PEOPLE WHO MAY BE GENUINE REFUGEES.

"THAT IS THE POINT WE HAVE BEEN EXPLAINING TO THEM FOR SOME TIME AND I HOPE THEY UNDERSTAND IT," SIR DAVID SAID.

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BRINGING IMF/WORLD BANK MEETING TO HK A GOOD IDEA: FS

IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA IF THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND (IMF)/WORLD BANK COULD BE HELD IN HONG KONG IN 1997, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, MR HAMISH MACLEOD, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).

SPEAKING ΤΟ REPORTERS ON HIS RETURN FROM THE IMF/WORLD BANK MEETING HELD IN BANGKOK, MR MACLEOD CONFIRMED THAT THE UNITED KINGDOM AND CHINA HAD INDICATED AN INTEREST IN THAT POSSIBILITY.

"THE PRESENT IMF/WORLD BANK MEETINGS ARE HELD EVERY THIRD YEAR OUTSIDE WASHINGTON. SO 1997 WILL INDEED BE A YEAR WHEN A MEETING WILL BE HELD OUTSIDE WASHINGTON, HE SAID.

MR MACLEOD SAID THE IDEA WAS STILL IN AN EARLY THAT THERE WAS NO FORMAL APPLICATION OR DECISION YET.

"I

STAGE, ADDING

AM SURE THAT THERE WILL BE OTHER PLACES THAT WOULD HAVE AN INTEREST IN HOLDING THAT MEETING. IT IS A VERY PRESTIGIOUS MEETING. IT WOULD BE QUITE AN ACHIEVEMENT IF WE GOT IT TO HONG KONG, MR MACLEOD SAID.

/TURNING TO