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REPATRIATED SINCE 1974.
16. THE ARGUMENTS IN FAVOUR OF SUCH A COURSE ARE THAT IT WOULD
CERTAINLY BE EFFECTIVE AS A DETERRENT, THAT EVEN WHERE THE
DETERRENT FAILED TO WORK IT COULD DISPOSE OF A GOOD PART OF THE
PROBLEM POSED BY FUTURE REFUGEE ARRIVALS, AND THAT IT IS
JUSTIFIED BY THE NON-REFUGEE NATURE OF A LARGE PROPORTION OF
RECENT ARRIVALS. IT WOULD BE POPULAR IN HONG KONG, AND WOULD
PROBABLY ALLOW THE CLOSED CAMP POLICY TO BE ABANDONED. IT WOULD
BE CONSISTENT WITH OUR POLICY ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA.
17. ARGUMENTS AGAINST ARE THAT THE COURSE WOULD BE LIKELY TO BE
GENERALLY UNPOPULAR WITH PUBLIC AND PARLIAMENTARY OPINION HERE,
AND WOULD ENCOUNTER VOCIFEROUS OBJECTION FROM THE REFUGEE LOBBY.
SINCE HONG KONG HAS NO LAND BOUNDARY WITH VIETNAM, AND AIRCRAFT OR
SHIPS WOULD NEED TO BE USED, THERE COULD BE CONSIDERABLE PHYSICAL
DIFFICULTY IN CARRYING OUT REPATRIATION, AND A HIGH PROFILE COULD
NOT BE AVOIDED. IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO SECURE UNHCR
COOPERATION WITH SUCH A PROGRAMME (ALTHOUGH THERE ARE SOME
CONFLICTING VIEWS WITHIN UNHCR) AAND IMPOSSIBLE UNLESS THE
VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT HAD GIVEN CREDIBLE ASSURANCES THAT THEY
WOULD NOT ILLTREAT PERSONS RETURNED TO VIETNAM. SUCH ASSURANCES
WOULD ALSO BE ESSENTIAL FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF PUBLIC AND
PARLIAMENTARY OPINION, AND IN ORDER TO AVOID BREACHING OUR
OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON CIVIL AND
POLITICAL RIGHTS. ON AVAILABLE EVIDENCE IT WILL BE VERY
DIFFICULT TO SECURE EITHER VIETNAMESE AGREEMENT TO RECEIVE BACK
THE PERSONS CONCERNED, OR ASSURANCES AS TO THEIR TREATMENT. THE
POOR STATE OF OUR RELATIONS WITH VIETNAM WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THIS
DIFFICULTY. FINALLY A DECISION TO TREAT SOME BOAT PEOPLE AS
ECONOMIC MIGRANTS RATHER THAN REFUGEES WOULD BE A BREAK WITH THE
UNWRITTEN UNDERSTANDING REACHED AT THE 1979 CONFERENCE THAT ALL
BOAT-PEOPLE SHOULD BE TREATED AS REFUGEES.(HOWEVER IN PRACTICE IT
IS CLEAR THAT SEVERAL OTHER GOVERNMENTS CONCERNED HAVE ALREADY
CONCLUDED THAT MANY OF THE PEOPLE CONCERNED ARE ECONOMIC MIGRANTS
RATHER THAN REFUGEES).
(C)
18.
SCREENING OF NEW ARRIVALS
RECOGNISING THAT REPATRIATION IS UNLIKELY TO BE FEASIBLE IN
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