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010406 MDHIAN 4956
STATES, BUT THE US ADMINISTRATION HAS SAID THEY ARE NOT ELIGIBLE
UNDER CURRENT GUIDELLNES. INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS TO RESETTLE THEM ELSEWHERE OVER MANY YEARS HAVE PRODUCED ONLY MEAGRE
RESULTS.
5.
THAT
IT IS
NO COUNTRY HAS SHOWN ITSELF PREPARED TO RESETTLE THOSE WHO
DO NOT QUALIFY AS REFUGEES. ON THE CONTRARY THE UN CONFERENCE ON INDOCHINESE REFUGEES HELD IN GENEVA IN JUNE AGREED
IN
ACCORDANCE WITH LONG STANDING INTERNATIONAL PRACTICE NON-REFUGEES SHOULD RETURN TO THEIR COUNTRY OF ORIGIN.
AGAINST THAT BACKGROUND THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAS DECIDED TO PROCEED WITH REPATRIATION. THOSE SCREENED OUT AS NON-REFUGEES HAVE NO PROSPECT OF SETTLEMENT IN THE WEST AND CANNOT BE HOUSED PERMANENTLY IN THE SMALL AND OVERCROWDED
TERRITORY OF HONG KONG. THEIR FUTURE CAN ONLY LIE IN THEIR OWN COUNTRY.
6.
THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WOULD HAVE MUCH PREFERRED TO PROCEED ON A VOLUNTARY BASIS. BUT SINCE SCREENING WAS INTRODUCED, ONLY SOME SQUARE BRACKETS BEGIN BLANK SQUARE BRACKETS END NON-REFUGEES HAVE AGREED TO RETURN TO VIETNAM VOLUNTARILY, FAR TOO FEW TO MAKE ANY IMPACT ON THE SCALE OF THE PROBLEM IN HONG KONG.
7. BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH THE DECISION ON REPATRIATION, THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAVE CONDUCTED LENGTHY NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT ABOUT THE RECEPTION OF RETURNEES. ASSURANCES HAVE BEEN RECEIVED FROM THE VIETNAMESE THAT THOSE WHO RETURN WILL SUFFER NO ILL TREATMENT OR VICTIMISATION. UNHCR HAVE AN OFFICE IN HANOI AND WILL BE CARRYING OUT A SYSTEMATIC MONITORING PROGRAMME. EVIDENCE AVAILABLE TO US FROM UNHCR AND FROM A VARIETY OF OTHER SOURCES CONFIRMS THAT THOSE WHO HAVE SO FAR RETURNED HAVE BEEN WELL TREATED. NO BOAT PEOPLE WOULD BE RETURNED TO VIETNAM IF WE WERE NOT SATISFIED THAT THEY WOULD BE PROPERLY TREATED AND WOULD NOT BE PUNISHED FOR HAVING LEFT CLANDESTINELY. RETURNEES WILL
RECEIVE INTEGRATION ASSISTANCE TO HELP THEM REBUILD THEIR LIVES IN VIETNAM. FOR OUR PART, WE SHALL - WITH THE HELP OF THE UNHCR AND OTHER NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS SUCH AS OXFAM AND SAVE
THE CHILDREN FUND - MONITOR THE RETURN CAREFULLY TO ENSURE THAT
THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT HONOUR THEIR ASSURANCES.
ACLAND
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