(e)
(f)
Comment
CONFIDENTIAL
4
Considerable marine manpower (at the expense of the anti-II screen) would be needed to cordon off the area 24 hours a day. Provision of basic medical facilities would be difficult.
the difficulties seem likely to outweight advantages.
Send all refugees to a regional camp elsewhere, on the lines of the present RPC at Bataan.
Advantages
Disadvantages
though not strictly a deterrent measure, this would shift the problem from Hong Kong.
earlier ASEAN attitudes to Hong Kong participation in the RPC, and the current state of UK relations with Malaysia, are not encouraging. Moreover we would be dealing with a situation involving indefinite detention - whereas the Philippine Government accepted the Bataan RPC in 1979 only on the basis that every refugee it took in was guaranteed for resettlement in advance.
Comment
: An unlikely starter.
Voluntary return/repatriation, either in boats of arrival or replacements provided by Government.
Advantages
as for (h); but with people free to sail on (or back) elsewhere, word would rapidly get back that arrivals were totally unwelcome here. If it worked it would be worth the modest cost : which need not be sustained for very long if the message sank in.
It would be more acceptable to international opinion, because those arriving would be free (and even given assistance) to sail on, rather than being detained.
ΠΩΝΕΙ ΓΕΝΤΙ ΔΙ
/Disadvantages