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INFO PRIORITY OTHER EC POSTS, HONG KONG, UKMIS GENEVA, HANOI
PROPOSED DEMARCHE BY THE TWELVE IN HANOI ON THE INDO CHINESE
REFUGEE PROBLEM
1.
AT THE MEETING OF THE ASIA WORKING GROUP (AWG), ON 6 JULY IT WAS AGREED IN PRINCIPLE THAT THERE SHOULD BE A DEMARCHE BY THE
TWELVE IN HANOI WITH A VIEW TO IMPRESSING UPON THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES THE CONSENSUS IN THE AWG THAT IT WAS VIETNAM'S
RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THE RETURN OF THOSE BOAT PEOPLE NOT
MEETING THE CRITERIA OF REFUGEES.
2.
THE UK WAS INVITED TO CIRCULATE ITS PROPOSALS FOR A
DEMARCHE.
A DRAFT TEXT HAS BEEN CIRCULATED BY COREU SETTING OUT
THE PRESENT POSITION AND URGING THE VIETNAMESE TO QUOTE TAKE EFFECTIVE STEPS TO CONTROL ILLEGAL DEPARTURES AND TO MAKE SUITABLE ARRANGEMENTS TO TAKE BACK ALL THOSE VIETNAMESE WHO ARE
FOUND NOT TO BE GENUINE REFUGEES UNQUOTE.
3.
IN COMMENTING ON THE DRAFT DEMARCHE FRG HAVE SUGGESTED THAT
WE SHOULD BE PRESSING THE VIETNAMESE TO ACCEPT VOLUNTARY (VOLUNTARY) RETURNEES ONLY. THE DANES HAVE AGREED WITH FRG'S
PROPOSED AMENDMENT. THE NETHERLANDS HAVE ADVISED AGAINST IT. THE
INSERTION OF THE WORD QUOTE VOLUNTARY UNQUOTE IS NOT ACCEPTABLE
TO US. OUR POSITION IS THAT ALL (ALL) THOSE WHO DO NOT MEET THE REFUGEE CRITERIA AND WHO ARE FOUND TO BE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS SHOULD BE RETURNED TO VIETNAM, SUBJECT TO SATISFACTORY ASSURANCES FOR THEIR TREATMENT ON RETURN. SINCE HONG KONG INTRODUCED THE NEW POLICY ON 16 JUNE THERE HAVE BEEN OVER 6,000 NEW ARRIVALS. IT IS SIMPLY NOT PRACTICABLE TO SEND BACK TO VIETNAM ONLY THOSE WHO WISH TO GO BACK. HONG KONG CANNOT ACCEPT THE REMAINDER ON A PERMANENT BASIS, AND THERE IS NO (NO) PROSPECT OF THEIR RESETTLEMENT ELSEWHERE.
4.
WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD EXPLAIN OUR POSITION AS
SOON AS POSSIBLE TO THE MFA DRAWING ON THE ABOVE. IN DOING SO
YOU SHOULD STRESS THE FOLLOWING POINTS:
(A) UNHCR AND THE ASEAN COUNTRIES AGREE WITH US AND HONG KONG
THAT REPATRIATION TO VIETNAM MUST BE FOR ALL THOSE ARRIVALS SCREENED
OUT AS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND NOT JUST FOR VOLUNTEERS.
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