XN000022-1993-07-07 — Page 18

WEDNESDAY, JULY 7, 1993

GOOD PROGRESS IN REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT

THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, MR ALISTAIR ASPREY,

THAT GOOD PROGRESS HAD BEEN MADE IN

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.

TOLD RESETTLING

THE

"OUR AIM IS TO RESETTLE ALL VIETNAMESE REFUGEES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE," HE SAID.

NEARLY 1,300

HAVE LEFT HONG KONG SO FAR THIS YEAR, AND OVER 23,500 SINCE JANUARY 1989.

ON JULY 1, THERE WAS A TOTAL OF 2,231 VIETNAMESE REFUGERS IN THE TERRITORY.

OF THEM, 1,146 HAVE ALREADY BEEN ACCEPTED FOR RESETTLEMENT AND SHOULD BE DEPARTING OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.

IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON MRS ELSIE TU, HE SAID THE REMAINING CASELOAD WAS BEING RE-EXAMINED BY THE OFFICE OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES (UNHCR) OR BEING CONSIDERED FOR RESETTLEMENT.

SOME

MR ASPREY SAID THERE WOULD BE DIFFICULTIES IN RESETTLING THE REFUGEES IN THIS CATEGORY, PRINCIPALLY BECAUSE OF THEIR CRIMINAL RECORDS.

OF

HOWEVER, HE SAID IT WOULD BE PREMATURE TO SEEK TO DEFINE THE EXACT NUMBER WHO MIGHT NEVER BE RESETTLED,

"WE KEEP IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH UNHCR AND THE CONSULATES OF

THE RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES, AND WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE SITUATION TO ENSURE THAT EVERY EFFORT IS MADE TO SPEED UP THE RESETTLEMENT OF THOSE WHO HAVE NOT YET BEEN ACCEPTED FOR RESETTLEMENT," HE SAID.

REPORTS ON INTERNATIONAL TREATIES

BRITISH

THERE ARE FOUR INTERNATIONAL TREATIES UNDER WHICH THE GOVERNMENT IS REQUIRED TO REPORT PERIODICALLY ON THE STATE OF THEIR IMPLEMENTATION IN HONG KONG, THE SECRETARY FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS, MR MICHAEL SZE, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

THEY ARE:

*

INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON THE ELIMINATION OP ALL FORMS OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION,

INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS,

INTERNATIONAL

COVENANT ON ECONOMIC,

RIGHTS, AND

SOCIAL AND CULTURAL

/* CONVENTION AGAINST

t