TNAG-1969-FCO40-2802-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation-1989 — Page 114

UNCLASSIFIED

FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 18130OZ FCO

TELNO 201

OF 18113OZ JANUARY 89

INFO PRIORITY PEKING

UNCLASSIFIED

MFD 243/9 нко

OnY WOP COPY

опу

Q DIST ?

20 177263

MDHIAN 8960

MIPT: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE

TEXT OF OUR PRESS RELEASE ISSUED ON 18 JANUARY IS AS FOLLOWS:

BEGINS

IN RESPONSE TO PRESS ENQUIRIES A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY

THE CLEAR POLICY OF THE GOVERNMENT IS THAT ALL ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, WHICHEVER COUNTRY THEY COME FROM, SHOULD BE REPATRIATED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

''UNDER A LONG STANDING AGREEMENT WITH CHINA, ALL ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FOUND ENTERING OR REMAINING IN HONG KONG ARE

IMMEDIATELY REPATRIATED.

''THERE IS ANOTHER AGREEMENT WITH CHINA FOR THE REPATRIATION OF

VIETNAMESE RESETTLED IN CHINA WHO COME TO HONG KONG AS ILLEGAL

IMMIGRANTS. WE ARE IN TOUCH WITH THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES

TO SEE IF THE PROCESS OF REPATRIATION CAN BE SPEEDED UP'', HE SAID.

AS FOR VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE ARRIVING IN HONG KONG AFTER THE

INTRODUCTION OF THE SCREEING POLICY ON JUNE 16, 1988, THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE GOVERNMENT'S AIM REMAINS TO REPATRIATE TO

VIETNAM ALL THOSE FOUND NOT TO BE REFUGEES.

IN

THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THAT VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE WHO ARRIVED

HONG KONG BEFORE JUNE 16 LAST YEAR WERE GIVEN REFUGEE STATUS AS A

RESULT OF THE INTERNATION UNDERSTANDING REACHED IN 1979.

''SOLUTION FOR THIS GROUP OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES LIES IN

RESETTLEMENT OVERSEAS.

''TO FACILITATE THE RESETTLEMENT OF THESE REFUGEES, THE

GOVERNMENT HAS STARTED A GRADUAL LIBERALISATION PROGRAMME TO ENABLE

THEM TO DEVELOPM SOCIAL AND WORKING SKILLS.

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