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this first movement will take place under conditions of safety and dignity and will eventually generate momentum and confidence for similar exercises in the
future.
b). Determination of refugee status and repatriation of rejected caaga
23. Since 1975 asylum-seekers from the Indo-China region had been considered as being prima facie of concern to the international community and UNHCR, and were deemed entitled to international protection and assistance on that basis. Thus, with the exception of Laotians coming to Thailand since July 1985, and for Vietnamese arriving in Hong Kong since June 1988, no determination has been made to ascertain whether individually these persons qualify for refugee status,
24. Largely as a result of events which occured in the region early this year, the notion of "screening" or establishment of refugee status determination procedures by countries in South-East Asia has gained a higher degree of acceptability. Determination of refugee status, which is closely linked to questions of asylum and admission, is, therefore, of central concern to all parties (not least to UNHCR in the exercise of the Office's statutory In the context function of providing international protection to refugees), of Vietnamese asylum-seekers, the issue of the fate of rejected cases has been dominant. The search for a solution for this category has consequently. emerged as the central theme of recent consultations among the parties
concerned.
25.
The SRV has taken the position that the return of the rejected cases on a non-voluntary basis would create at this stage unsustainable socio-economic problems for the country. At the other end of the spectrum, the Hong Kong authorities have stated that asylum-seekers not qualifying as refugees must be returned to Viet Nam. Such persons will not be allowed access to resettlement.
26.
Another apporach proposed is to give consideration to interim care of the rejected cases in a manner that would afford them humanitarian treatment According to until such time as their return to Viet Nam could be arranged.
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this approach, the idea of a regional holding centre for the rejected cases should be explored. If such a regional holding centre does not prove
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