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CONFIDENTIAL
For
all these reasons
will lead sooner or
there i s
later
a strong probabililty that inactic
to a very much worse situation than tha
obtaining now.
VI OPTIONS
14.
Following is an
examination of options by which we might try t (A) reduce the rate of arrival, (B) increase the rate of departure
Some of these options are more theoretical than real and ar
included for the sake of completeness. Some have been rejected b Ministers in the past.
A.
Options designed to reduce the rate of arrival
15. (a) Tow newly arriving boats out to sea
of
Macau, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Brunei have all done thi
(though there have been few reports
such action recently). Th
Hong Kong Government have contingency plans for towing vessels wit
illegal immigrants or refugees outside the limits of Hong Kong'
waters in an emergency, but have never adopted such a policy i
respect of Vietnamese refugees. The only argument for such a cours
an effective deterrent t
act as
i s that it would undoubtedly
refugees making for Hong Kong. The arguments against are that i
would involve inflicting unacceptable risks on the Occupants of th
and would be indefensible in terms of
common humanity, and Ou
obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Politica
decided against adopting such a course
boats
Rights.
1984.
Ministers
in
Marc
CONFIDENTIAL