,
RESETTLEMENT IN THIRD COUNTRIES, AND REPATRIATION TO VIETNAM.
ALTHOUGH THE FIRST OF THESE SOLUTIONS IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY
DIFFICULT, GOVERNMENT MUST CONTINUE TO EXERT PRESSURE ON RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES, INCLUDING THE UNITED KINGDOM, TO BE MORE
GENEROUS IN THEIR QUOTAS FOR REFUGEES IN HONG KONG. THE SECOND
SOLUTION, MOOTED BY OMELCO'S SECURITY PANEL AND, I BELIEVE, ALSO
BY THE ADMINISTRATION WAS PUBLICLY SUGGESTED BY THE MINISTER OF
STATE FOR THE HOME OFFICE, MR. DAVID WADDINGTON, DURING HIS RECENT
VISIT TO HONG KONG. AT THIS STAGE, IT IS ONLY A POSSIBILITY, AS
EMPHASISED BY THE MINISTER, AND WILL REQUIRE DELICATE AND
COMPLICATED DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS. REPATRIATION MAY SOLVE THE
PROBLEM OF THE INCREASING RESIDUE OF REFUGEES IN HONG KONG WHO,
FOR WHATEVER REASON CANNOT BE RESETTLED IN THIRD COUNTRIES. IN
THE LONG RUN IT MIGHT ALSO PROVE A FAR GREATER DETERRENT TO NEW REFUGEES THAN ANY MEASURE WE CAN TAKE WITHIN HONG KONG. IT IS AN OPTION WHICH MUST BE SERIOUSLY EXPLORED AND PURSUED. THE ESSENCE,
SIR, LIES IN ENSURING THAT THOSE WHO ARE REPATRIATED WILL BE
HUMANELY TREATED.
YOUDE
YYYY
HMLNAN 4590
BOAT PEOPLE
LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
WED
UND
PS
PS/MR RENTON PS/MR EGGAR MR GILLMORE
ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION
BOAT PEOPLE
FED
MR SLATER
NEWS D
MR WILSON
MAED
MR BRAITHWAITE
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