TNAG-2049-FCO40-2919-Visits-by-Lord-Caithness--Minister-of-State-for-Foreign-and--1990 — Page 28

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(VISIT FILE)

Statement to press

Pay tribute to Hong Kong authorities, particularly the Correctional Services Department, for excellent work they are doing

under exceptionally difficult circumstances.

Thanks too to the voluntary agencies and the

UNHCR.

Impressed by care and sensitivity with which Whitehead Centre is run. Impressed also by fair

and thorough screening process.

But despite best efforts of all concerned, clearly wrong that families should be kept in such conditions for long periods. That is why arrangements should be made so that those who are found not to be refugees can return to their own country in a safe and orderly fashion as soon as

possible.

Have made good progress this year. Over 4,000

have returned to Vietnam. More are waiting for flights to go back.

We must now accelerate this outflow.

That is

why we are about to talk to the Vietnamese Government about increasing the rate of return of

the screened out.