CONFIDENTIAL
GRS 250
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 11100OZ FCO
TELNO 2797
OF 1109OOZ DECEMBER 85
(333) MIPT: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: LECCO QUESTION.
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NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE VIETNAMESE
پیار یاد
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GOVERNMENT ON VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION ARE UNDERTAKEN BY THE UNITED
NATIONS HIGH COMMISSION FOR REFUGEES.
2. AN ESSENTIAL INGREDIENT FOR VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION IS VOLUNTEEPS. SINCE 1979, OUT OF THE 120,000 REFUGEES WHO HAVE COME TO HONG KONG ONLY 22 HAVE ASKED TO RETURN TO VIETNAM. ONLY 14 OF THESE 22 HAVE
ACTUALLY BEEN PETURNED. WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR A REPLY FROM THE
VIETNAM GOVERNMENT SINCE 1983 ON WHETHER THEY ARE PREPARED TO ACCEPT
THE REMAINING EIGHT. MEANWHILE THE UNHCR IS KEEPING UP THE PRESSURE.
3. AS REGARDS INVOLUNTARY REPATRIATION, AS STATED BY THE SECPETARY
FOR SECURITY IN THIS COUNCIL ON 6 FEBRUARY 1935, IF THOSE ARRIVING
HERE WERE JUDGED TO BE ILLEGAL TRAVELLERS RATHER THAN GENUINE REFUGEES, THEN THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WOULD CONSIDER IT A VIABLE OPTION TO RETURN THEM TO VEITNAM PROVIDED THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF
VIETNAM WOULD ACCEPT THEM AND PROVIDED THAT WE COULD BE SATISFIED
THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE TREATED INHUMAMELY ON THEIR RETURN. NEGOTIA-
TIONS WITH THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT ON THESE PROVISOS WOULD BE A MATTER FOR HMG. HMG'S VIEW AT THE PRESENT TIME IS THAT RELATIONS
WITH VIETNAM HAVE NOT YET REACHED A POINT AT WHICH IT WOULD BE
APPROPRIATE TO EMBARK ON DISCUSSIONS WITH THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT
TO THIS END.
YOUDE
BOAT PEOPLE
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UND
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MR O'NEILL MR WILSON
CONFIDENTIAL
LKK 243/5
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY 13 DEC 1985
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