AUSTRALIA
CONFIDENTIAL
147
INDO-CHINA REFUGEES IN HONG KONG
Australia has decided that its planning figure for the intake of Indo-Chinese refugees from Hong Kong should remain at 400 in 1986/87.
Australia's decision to increase its intake of Indo-Chinese refugees from Hong Kong in 1985/86 from 400 to 600 was a one-off decision in response to Britain's decision to accept some 500 persons with connections in the United Kingdom. Our reference to a possible further allocation of 200 places to Hong Kong in 1985/86 did not eventuate since our overall Indo-China program was fully committed from elsewhere.
Australia is concerned at the recent increase in arrivals of Vietnamese in Hong Kong. We note that northern Vietnamese continue to constitute the majority of these arrivals. We share the scepticism of the Hong Kong authorities about the claims of these arrivals to be refugees.
Australian Ministers have decided that future reaction to requests for re-settlement in Australia of Indo- Chinese refugees in Hong Kong will be heavily dependant upon the United Kingdom's giving a significant Lead by becoming a leading resettlement destination in numerical terms.
Australia also considers that the United Kingdom should pursue the option of repatriation, given that the majority of current arrivals in Hong Kong from Vietnam appear to have no more claim to refugee status than illegal entrants from China. Australia would welcome the creation of an on-arrival screening program in Hong Kong to separate those with genuine refugee claims from those seeking migration to the West.
Australia acknowledges that repatriation would clearly not be acceptable to the international community without prior Vietnamese acquiescence in such action and an acknowledgement on the part of the Vietnamese authorities of the right of such persons to be re-integrated into Vietnamese society.
Australia nevertheless believes that repatriation of persons with no genuine claim to refugee status would be a positive development. It would go a considerable way towards breaking down the climate of expectation in Vietnam which equates arrival in a country of first refuge with eventual settlement.
re-
Australian High Commission,
LONDON.
19 AUGUST 1986
CONFIDENTIAL