XN000022-1993-06-30 — Page 52

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30, 1993

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UNHCR CONSTANTLY REMINDED TO PAY DEBT

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THE BRITISH AND THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENTS WILL CONTINUE ΤΟ REMIND THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES (UNHCR) AND THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY OF THE BURDEN IMPOSED ON THE TERRITORY AND TO PRESS FOR REPAYMENT OF THE OUTSTANDING DEBT.

SECURITY,

MR KEN

THIS WAS STATED BY THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR WOODHOUSE IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON HENRY TANG TODAY (WEDNESDAY) IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

HONG

MR WOODHOUSE SAID: "BOTH HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT AND THE KONG GOVERNMENT CONSTANTLY REMIND THE UNHCR OF ITS OUTSTANDING TO THE TERRITORY,"

DEBT

"THIS IS DONE LARGELY THROUGH THE REGULAR CONTACTS WHICH PLACE BETWEEN OFFICIALS OF THE TWO GOVERNMENTS AND THE OFFICE OF UNHCR."

TAKE THE

HOWEVER, THE ABILITY OF THE UNHCR TO REPAY THE MONIES OWED IS DEPENDANT ON DONOR COUNTRIES, HE ADDED.

EARLIER THIS YEAR, FOLLOWING A DISCUSSION OF THIS MATTER IN THE LEGCO'S PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE, THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN HAVING THE DEBT HIGHLIGHTED IN THE UNHCR 1993 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF ACTION (CPA) APPEAL.

MR WOODHOUSE SAID BRITISH DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS IN MAJOR DONOR CAPITALS WERE ALSO INSTRUCTED TO ASK THEIR HOST GOVERNMENTS WHETHER THEY WOULD CONSIDER AUGMENTING THEIR 1993 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CPA ENABLE THE UNHCR TO DISCHARGE ITS DEBT TO HONG KONG.

THE FINAL OUTCOME OF THIS DEMARCHE IS NOW AWAITED.

TO

"IT WOULD NOT BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, AS A THIRD PARTY, TO RELEASE COPIES OF CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT AND THE UNHCR," HE ADDED.

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PROMOTION OF SAFETY AT WORK FOR SUMMER JOB-SEEKERS

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ELEVEN SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS WERE INJURED WHILE ENGAGING IN SUMMER JOBS LAST YEAR.

IN 1991.

THIS COMPARED WITH 35 IN 1988, 29 IN 1989, 18 IN 1990 AND SEVEN

THE MAJORITY OF THESE CASES INVOLVED ONLY MINOR INJURIES AND NO FATAL CASES HAD BEEN RECORDED, THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, MR MICHAEL LEUNG, SAID IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON CHEUNG MAN-KWONG IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

/HE TOLD