XN000022-1991-10-29 — Page 3

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1991

AGREEMENT ON RETURN OF VIETNAMESE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

STATEMENT

ON BEHALF OF THE BRITISH AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENTS, THE BRITISH AMBASSADOR IN HANOI TODAY (TUESDAY) SIGNED A UNDERSTANDING WITH THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT ON THE VIETNAMESE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS IN HONG KONG.

OF

OF

RETURN

FOR

ANNOUNCING THIS AT A PRESS CONFERENCE, THE SECRETARY SECURITY, MR ALISTAIR ASPREY, SAID THAT FOLLOWING SCREENING WHICH WILL BE MONITORED

SEEKERS WHO WERE BY THE UNHCR, ALL VIETNAMESE ASYLUM FOUND UNDER NORMAL INTERNATIONAL RULES TO BE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS BE RETURNED TO VIETNAM.

WOULD

"THIS UNDERSTANDING BRINGS INTO EFFECT AN ORDERLY RETURN BE PROGRAMME WHICH WILL APPLY INITIALLY TO ALL NEW ARRIVALS FOUND TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY TO ALL OTHER VIETNAMESE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ALREADY IN DETENTION CENTRES, MR ASPREY SAID.

77

HE ADDED THAT REPATRIATION WOULD TAKE PLACE IN ACCORDANCE NORMAL INTERNATIONAL PRACTICE.

WITH

ON

THESE ARRANGEMENTS WERE WITHIN THE TERMS OF THE COMPREHENSIVE OF

ACTION

INTERNATIONAL (CPA), ADOPTED BY THE

CONFERENCE INDOCHINESE REFUGEES CONVENED BY THE UNITED NATIONS IN JUNE 1989.

PLAN

MR ASPREY SAID THE UNHCR VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION PROGRAMME WOULD

CONTINUE.

EVERY ENCOURAGEMENT WOULD BE GIVEN TO NON-REFUGEES TO RETURN UNDER THIS PROGRAMME. HOME

THE THOSE WHO DID NOT OPT FOR

VOLUNTARY PROGRAMME WOULD BE REPATRIATED UNDER THE ORDERLY RETURN

PROGRAMME.

MR ASPREY NOTED THAT OVER 11,000 PEOPLE HAD ALREADY RETURNED TO VIETNAM FROM HONG KONG ALONE UNDER THE UNHCR'S VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION SCHEME.

THERE HAD BEEN NOT A SINGLE SUBSTANTIATED CASE OF PERSECUTION OF ANYONE WHO HAD RETURNED IN THAT TIME.

"THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT HAS GUARANTEED THAT NO ILLEGAL

WHO

THAT RETURNS TO VIETNAM WILL FACE PERSECUTION AND

UNHCR CONTINUE TO FACILITATE MONITORING OF RETURNEES BY THE ENSURE THAT THESE GUARANTEES ARE FULLY RESPECTED, HE POINTED OUT.

IMMIGRANT

IT

WILL

TO

"

WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT, ALL NEW ARRIVALS WILL BE SCREENED GREEN ISLAND RECEPTION CENTRE. THEY WILL HAVE THE NORMAL RIGHT APPEAL AS PROVIDED FOR IN THE IMMIGRATION ORDINANCE.

AT

OF

THOSE FOUND NOT TO BE GENUINE REFUGEES WILL BE TRANSFERRED HEI LING DETENTION CENTRE TO AWAIT REPATRIATION.

ΤΟ

AN ORDERLY RETURN PROGRAMME FOR THOSE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ALREADY IN THE CAMPS WILL BEGIN ONCE ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN FINALISED WITH THE VIETNAMESE GOVERMENT.

/"IN CARRYING