TNAG-1182-FCO40-1484-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-into-the--1982 — Page 114

ני

Sir,

Speech by the Secretary for Security in the Legislative Council on 30 June 1982

Immigration (Amendment) Bill 1982;

1982

24311

146

HKK 243/1

No.

CSE

!

igh i Afian

time.

I move the Immigration (Amendment) Bill 1982 be read a second

2.

Few of us need any reminder of the events connected with the

outflow of Vietnamese refugees in 1979 and how Hong Kong responded

to this challenge in a humane and effective way. It did so despite

the extent of overcrowding in this territory and its other immigration

problems at that time.

This

3. The Geneva Conference of July 1979, called as the result of a

British initiative, produced a balanced plan of action".

involved:-

the provision of temporary asylum by countries of first

arrival;

support for UNIICR by third countries in the provision of

funds and/or resettlement places; and

restraint by the Vietnamese Government on illegal departures.

4.

Hong Kong has

Nearly three years later what is the position?

honoured its obligations to provide temporary asylum to Vietnames

refugees. No boat has been towed out to sea and no refugee has been

/turned away