CONFIDENTIAL
41966
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3. SEPARATELY, WE WERE INVITED TO LUNCH BY THE CANADIAN IMMIGRATION
OFFICIALS HERE. AFTER A BRIEF DISCUSSION ON THE PRESENT ARRIVAL
AND DEPARTURE RATE, WE WERE ASKED WHAT WE WOULD DO IF, SAY,
FILIPINOS ARRIVED IN BOATS SEEKING TO LAND IN HONG KONG.
THE CANADIANS ANSWERED THEIR OWN QUESTION BY SUGGESTING THAT WE
WOULD RETURN THEM TO THE PHILIPPINES. WE AGREED. THEY THEN ASKED
WHETHER WE HAD CONSIDERED INVOLNTARY REPATRIATION ANY FURTHER.
WE EXPLAINED THAT WE WERE CONSTANTLY CONSIDERING A WIDE RANGE
OF OPTIONS AND ASKED WHAT THE CANADIANS VIEW WOULD BE IF HONG KONG
WERE TO PROPOSE INVOLUNTARY REPATRIATION. THEY SAID THAT THEW WOULD
ENCOURAGE DISCUSSION OF THIS SUBJECT. THEY SAID THAT THE
INTERNATIONAL PRESUMPTION IN 1979 THAT ALL THOSE LEAVING VIETNAM
BY BOAT WERE REFUGEES HAD TO BE REEXAMINED. THEY SAID THAT THIS
COULD BEST BE DONE AT AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE. THEY SAID THAT
IT MIGHT BE EVEN BETTER TO DISCUSS THIS AT A REGIONAL
CONFERENCE. THEY FELT STRONGLY THAT THE ISSUE SHOULD BE DISCUSSED
OPENLY.
4. WE RAISED THIS SUBJECT WITH THE AUSTRALIANS AT A RECEPTION.
THE SECRETARY FOR MIGRATION AND ETHNIC AFFAIRS SAID THE HE PERSON-
ALLY FAVOURED THE IDEA BUT HE DID NOT THINK THE AUSTRALIAN
GOVERNMENT WOULD GIVE IT SUPPORT PUBLICLY.
HOWE
OCMIAN 1966
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CONFIDENTIAL