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FM FCO 151135Z
MAY 85
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER
INFO UKMIS GENEVA, HANOI ROUTINE
INFO SAVING HKGO LONDON
OUR TELNO 539 : VIETNAMESE REFUGEES : POLICY PAPER FOR MINISTERS
1. The Secretary of State has considered our submission and
policy paper on Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong in consultation
with Mr Luce and officials.
2. After a full discussion of our
recommendation to discuss
with the Vietnamese Government the possibility of repatriating
boat people to Vietnam, the Secretary of State has concluded that
this should not be pursued. The arguments in favour of the
course were given a full airing, but so were the undeniable
drawbacks. The Secretary of State took the view that even
discussion of forcible repatriation with the Vietnamese would
stimulate an outcry in Parliament and from public opinion, and
probably also internationally, which would rebound against both
HMG and the Hong Kong Government, and could result in even more
pressure against the closed camps policy. Against this he saw
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