CONFIDENTIAL
D
(b) to increase the rate of departures by:
(i) voluntary repatriation to Vietnam;
(ii) absorption in Hong Kong;
(iii) integration in the region;
(iv) increased resettlement.
resettlement
Mr Galsworthy
The submission concluded that only two of these options
involuntary repatriation and increased
offered any real prospect of success.
therefore recommended that we explore with the Vietnamese
the possibilities of repatriation, and also seek Home
Office agreement to a continuing UK offtake of refugees
from Hong Kong.
Repatriation
15. The Secretary of State concluded that we should not
pursue bilateral discussions with the Vietnamese on
He felt that Parliamentary and public
opinion would not accept that we should discuss involuntary
repatriation with the Vietnamese, given our condemnation of
repatriation.
their policies.
16.
last
We
Our stance vis-a-vis Vietnam has not changed in the
year.
see no early prospect of it doing SO
subsequently in the future.
Nor have we any greater
assurances in bilateral
that
expectation of securing reasonable
exchanges with the Vietnamese
any refugees
In
involuntarily repatriated would be treated humanely. response to general enquiries by HMA Hanoi the Vietnamese
have told us only that "illegal" emigrants may be
imprisoned for up to 2 years: in the course of their escape they may also have committed other criminal offences (for example stealing a vessel or bribing officialdom). What we know of prison conditions is not reassuring.
CONFIDENTIAL