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101023 MDLIAN 1538
AND MORE EFFICIENT SYSTEM OF SCREENING AND REVIEW WHICH WILL AIM TO
DISPOSE OF ALL OUTSTANDING CASES IN 12 MONTHS AND ALL NEW CASES WITHIN 3 MONTHS OF ARRIVAL. TO THIS END I INTEND TO BRING BEFORE THIS COUNCIL BEFORE THE END OF THE PRESENT SESSION LEGISLATION TO INTRODUCE A MUCH SIMPLER APPEAL AND REVIEW PROCEDURE.
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BUT IF VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION FAILS TO DEVELOP SUFFICIENT
MOMENTUM AND PROVES TO BE INADEQUATE WITHIN A REASONABLE SHORT AND DEFINED PERIOD OF TIME, WE SHALL PRESS FOR MANDATORY REPATRIATION. WE BELIEVE THAT VIETNAM MUST BE PERSUADED TO HONOUR ITS OBLIGATIONS TO ACCEPT BACK ITS OWN NATIONALS IN ACCORDANCE WITH INTERNATIONAL PRACTICE, AND NOT TO TREAT THOSE WHO RETURN HARSHLY FOR FOLLOWING THEIR MISGUIDED BELIEF THAT A BETTER LIFE AWAITS THEM OUTSIDE
VIETNAM.
12.
THESE THEN ARE THE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PACKAGE OF SOLUTIONS WHICH WE SHALL SEEK AT THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INDO-CHINA REFUGEES IN GENEVA NEXT MONTH: EFFECTIVE PREVENTION OF DEPARTURES FROM VIETNAM, SCREENING, RESETTLEMENT, REPATRIATION. THE DRAFT PLAN AGREED AT THE PREPARATORY CONFERENCE IN KUALA LUMPUR IN MARCH INCLUDES ALL THESE ELEMENTS. I BELIEVE
THAT IT PROVIDES THE BASIS FOR A COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION ON WHICH
WE MUST BUILD IN GENEVA. THE UNITED KINGDOM GOVERNMENT HAS PLAYED A LEADING ROLE IN THE PREPARATIONS FOR THE CONFERENCE: AND HAS MADE IT CLEAR THAT THERE MUST BE COMPREHENSIVE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE
RETURN TO VIETNAM WITHINA REALISTIC TIMESCALE OF ALL THOSE
SCREENED OUT AS REFUGEES.
13.
UNTIL WE CAN ACHIEVE ALL THESE ELEMENTS OF A LASTING SOLUTION, IN PARTICULAR REPATRIATION, THE BURDEN ON OUR RESOURCES WILL REMAIN. THERE HAVE BEEN CALLS FOR THE UNHCR AND THE UNITED KINGDOM TO SHARE A LARGER PART OF THE FINANCIAL BURDEN. IT IS AN INTERNATIONAL PROBLEM AND WE CAN REASONABLY EXPECT THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO MAKE A GREATER CONTRIBUTION EITHER FINANCIALLY OR BY PROVIDING ACCOMMODATION OUTSIDE HONG KONG FOR SOME OF OUR PRESENT POPULATION OF BOAT PEOPLE. THE UNITED KINGDOM HAS PROVED 8 MILLION POUNDS TO HONG KONG THROUGH THE UNHCR IN THE LAST 9 MONTHS. THE MOST RECENT DONATION OF 6 MILLION POUNDS WILL BE USED TO REIMBURSE THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS OF THE PILLAR POINT CAMP. THIS CONTRIBUTION, WAS MADE AT SHORT NOTICE IN RESPONSE TO OUR URGENT REQUEST. WE WILL CONTINUE TO PRESS FOR FURTHER ASSISTANCE BOTH FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM AND THE WIDER INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.
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