CONFIDENTIAL
there
For
all these reasons
i s
will lead sooner or later to a
obtaining now.
a strong probabililty that inaction
very much worse situation than that
VI OPTIONS
14.
Following is an examination of options by which
options by which we might try to
(A) reduce the rate of
of arrival, (B)
Some of these options are more
increase the rate of departure.
theoretical than real and are
Some have been rejected by
included for the sake of completeness.
Ministers in the past.
A. Options designed to reduce the rate of arrival
15. (a) Tow newly arriving boats out to sea
Macau, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Brunei have all done this (though there have been few reports of such action recently). The
Hong Kong Government have contingency plans for towing vessels with
illegal immigrants or refugees outside the limits of Hong Kong's
waters in an emergency, but have never adopted such a policy in
respect of Vietnamese refugees. The only argument for such a course
is that it would undoubtedly act as an effective deterrent to
refugees making for Hong Kong. The arguments against are that it
would involve inflicting unacceptable risks on the occupants of the
boats and would be indefensible in terms of common humanity, and our
obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights. Ministers decided against adopting such a Course
in March
1984.
CONFIDENTIAL