CONFIDENTIAL
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16.
DPA asked whether people leaving Vietnam who were not being persecuted before they left, would by the fact of leaving illegally, render themselves liable to severe punishment if they were to be repatriated. Could UNHCR not urge the Vietnamese Government to set aside their objections to repatriation, which were not very logical. If the punishment for illegal departure were disproportionately severe, repatriation would be politically difficult for Hong Kong and the UK.
17.
Mr Smyser said that UNHCR would continue to try to persuade the Vietnamese Government to consider repatriation. He, however, stressed that UNHCR would maintain that genuine "refugees" must not be repatriated. Mr Smyser doubted whether an ASEAN view on repatriation would develop.
18.
Mr Rizvi foresaw that the pattern of arrivals would remain the same for the Region but admitted that when arrivals exceeded departures, UNHCR would be very concerned. S for S said that if the inflow should go up in May, June this year, HKG would have to consider changing its policy. DS (S) asked what would Hanoi
next boat back to Vietnam.
think if HKG sent the Mr Rizvi said that the Vietnamese would almost certainly refuse to accept them. There were previous examples of refugees in orbit.
19.
In summing up, Mr Smyser said that a great deal had been achieved but clearly there were still difficult issues. He thanked the Hong Kong Government for arranging the meeting.
Security Branch
Government Secretariat
File: CR 3/3371/79 II
Date : 10 May 1982
CONFIDENTIAL