XN000022-1991-10-21 — Page 7

MONDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1991

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REPATRIATION TO START WITH DOUBLE BACKERS

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THE

CONTINUING

WERE

GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED TODAY (MONDAY) THAT DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN THE BRITISH, HONG KONG AND VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENTS WAYS TO IMPLEMENT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF ACTION IN FULL AND IN PARTICULAR THE PROVISION THAT ALL NON-REFUGEES SHOULD RETURN TO VIETNAM IN ACCORDANCE WITH INTERNATIONAL PRACTICES.

ON

"AS A FIRST STEP, AGREEMENT HAS NOW BEEN REACHED ON THE RETURN TO VIETNAM OF THE SO-CALLED DOUBLE BACKERS (1.E. THOSE WHO, HAVING RETURNED TO VIETNAM ONCE AND BENEFITTED FROM UNHCR REPATRIATION ASSISTANCE, HAVE ENTERED HONG KONG ILLEGALLY FOR A SECOND) TIME) AND THOSE OF THEIR IMMEDIATE FAMILY WHO HAVE COME WITH THEM.

"DISCUSSION OF THE DETAILED ARRANGEMENTS FOR REPATRIATING NEW ARRIVALS AND OTHER NON-REFUGEES ALREADY IN HONG KONG CONTINUES," A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID.

"THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT HAVE REPEATED THEIR UNDERTAKINGS THAT NO ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT WHO RETURNS TO VIETNAM WILL FACE PERSECUTION AND THAT IT WILL CONTINUE TO FACILITATE THE MONITORING OF RETURNEES BY UNHCR, AND OTHERS, ΤΟ ENSURE THAT THESE GUARANTEES ARE FULLY RESPECTED.

IN THE LAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS ALMOST 11,000 VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS HAVE RETURNED VOLUNTARILY TO VIETNAM FROM HONG KONG WITHOUT A SINGLE SUBSTANTIATED CASE OF PERSECUTION," HE SAID.

THE GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN ADDED THAT NO DATE HAD BEEN FIXED FOR THE RETURN OF THE DOUBLE BACKERS AND REPATRIATION WOULD THEREFORE NOT TAKE PLACE FOR SEVERAL WEEKS.

REPATRIATION WOULD TAKE PLACE IN ACCORDANCE WITH NORMAL INTERNATIONAL PRACTICES AND WITHIN TERMS OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ACTION, ADOPTED BY THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INDO-CHINESE REFUGEES CONVENED BY THE UNITED NATIONS IN JUNE 1989.

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STATEMENT ON BCCHK

IN A STATEMENT TODAY (MONDAY) THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, MR NOEL GLEESON, CONFIRMED THAT PROPOSALS FOR THE TAKEOVER OF THE BANKING BUSINESS OF THE BANK OF CREDIT AND COMMERCE HONG KONG LIMITED (BCCHK), INCLUDING ITS SUBSIDIARY, BCCFI, HAVE NOW BEEN RECEIVED FROM THE HONGKONG CHINESE BANK LIMITED, COMPANIES.

A MEMBER OF THE LIPPO GROUP OF

MR GLEESON SAID AS THE NEGOTIATIONS WERE CONFIDENTIAL HE COULD NOT REVEAL DETAILS OF THE PROPOSALS AT THIS STAGE.

/THE PROPOSALS