XN000022-1995-07-26 — Page 38

(c)

૭

Reply:

26 -

whether the abolition of the first asylum policy required the approval of the British Government?

Mr President,

(a)

(b)

(c)

Vietnamese migrants arriving in Hong Kong are granted first asylum. If they claim to be refugees, they are screened to determine whether they should be granted refugee status. We have no plans in hand to change these arrangements.

At the meeting of the Fifth Steering Committee of the International Conference on Indochinese Refugees held in February 1994 in Geneva, it was agreed that Vietnamese arriving in first asylum countries after 14 February 1994 should be treated in accordance with national legislations and internationally accepted practices. In so far as screening procedures are concerned, our current arrangements are already in accordance with these conditions. The decision of the Fifth Steering Committee was reaffirmed at the Sixth Steering Committee meeting held in March this

year.

Decisions regarding Vietnamese migrants in Hong Kong are basically made by the Hong Kong Government, but policies formulated by the Hong Kong Government involving external relations require the approval of the British Government. Accordingly, any decision made by the Hong Kong Government to modify or abolish the existing first asylum policy would require approval from the British Government.

End/Wednesday, July 26, 1995

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