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MDADAN 886
YOUR PLANS FOR ACCEPTING AND RESETTLING THEM. THEIR EARLY
RESETTLEMENT IN THE UNITED STATES WILL CERTAINLY BE WELCOMED BY THEM AND BY THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. HOWEVER, IF THE US GOVERNMENT HAS NO INTENTION OF ACCEPTING THEM FOR RESETTLEMENT, AND THERE IS NO CHANGE IN YOUR POLICY, WE MUST RESPECTFULLY REQUEST YOU TO REFRAIN FROM MAKING SUCH REMARKS SO THAT THE SMOOTH IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CPA IS NOT ADVERSELY AFFECTED.
YOUR COMMENTS SUGGEST THAT YOU MAY NOT BE AWARE OF HONG KONG'S SCREENING PROCEDURES, UNDER WHICH WE APPLY THE STANDARD UN CRITERIA FOR DETERMINING REFUGEE STATUS TO EACH INDIVIDUAL CLAIM FOR ASYLUM. UNHCR CONSIDERS OUR SCREENING PROCEDURES TO BE AMONG THE BEST IN THE REGION, AND BETTER THAN THOSE IN MANY OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD. WE NOTE THAT THE UNHCR HAS COMPARED THE SCREENING
PROCEDURES USED FOR HAITIAN BOAT PEOPLE UNFAVOURABLY WITH THOSE
USED HERE. UNHCR MONITORS OUR PROCEDURES AND GIVES LEGAL ADVICE
TO ASYLUM SEEKERS. A LARGE PART OF THE UNHCR MONITORING OF THESE PROCEDURES IS FUNDED BY YOUR OWN GOVERNMENT. THE UNHCR, UNDER AN ARRANGEMENT WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG, CAN EXERCISE ITS MANDATE ON BEHALF OF ANY ASYLUM SEEKER WHO HAS BEEN SCREENED OUT, AND ITS RECOMMENDATIONS IN THIS REGARD ARE ACCEPTED BY THE HONG
KONG GOVERNMENT WITHOUT QUESTION.
THE FINAL POINT WE WISH TO MAKE IS THAT VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE ARE REPATRIATED WITH GUARANTEES AGAINST MISTREATMENT AND ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE TO HELP REBUILD THEIR LIVES IN VIETNAM UNDER THE MONITORING OF UNHCR AND OTHER AGENCIES. IT IS CLEAR NONETHELESS
THAT MOST OF THOSE LEAVING VIETNAM ARE DOING SO BECAUSE OF THE
SERIOUS ECONOMIC DEPRIVATION THEY CONTINUE TO FACE IN THEIR OWN COUNTRY. THERE CAN BE NO QUESTION, AND INDEED THE UNHCR HAS RECENTLY MADE THIS VERY POINT PUBLICLY, THAT A KEY FACTOR IN THE CONTINUED ECONOMIC BACKWARDNESS OF VIETNAM IS THE LEAD GIVEN BY
YOUR OWN GOVERNMENT IN MAINTAINING AN ECONOMIC BLOCKADE OF
VIETNAM. IF WE ARE TO OFFER THE VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS A BETTER
FUTURE THAN AN INDEFINITE STAY IN DETENTION CENTRES AROUND SOUTH EAST ASIA, THEN WE MUST ALL DO SOMETHING TO HELP VIETNAM TO HELP ITS OWN PEOPLE. WE EARNESTLY URGE THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT TO LIFT
IMMEDIATELY THE ECONOMIC SANCTIONS IT HAS APPLIED AGAINST VIETNAM FOR SO LONG. THESE SANCTIONS HAVE HELPED CREATE THE CONDITIONS
UNDER WHICH THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE TAKE REFUGE IN OVERCROWDED CAMPS IN HONG KONG AND ELSEWHERE. ALTHOUGH A LIFTING OF THE EMBARGO WILL NOT MEAN AN IMMEDIATE IMPROVEMENT IN THE VIETNAMESE ECONOMY, IT WILL PROVIDE A GLINT OF HOPE TO THOSE STRANDED IN HONG KONG
AND GIVE THEM THE PSYCHOLOGICAL BOOST NECESSARY TO RETURN HOME.
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