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ASIA WORKING GROUP, 17-18 FEBRUARY
BRIEF NO 1.6: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
References
A:
COREU CPE/LON 68 of 10 February.
B: Statistics on Current Trends.
C:
UN Statistics on Resettlement: EC Countries.
1
X
Background
1. We have asked for the subject to be placed on the agenda to
demonstrate to Hong Kong that we are doing everything possible to help tackle the growing problem of arrivals from Vietnam. 358
Јашату arrived in Hong Kong in January alone, the highest
level for six years.
But a recent increase in arrivals in Thailand has
prompted the authorities there to resume a policy of "push-offs".
UNHCR has expressed its concern but seems reluctant to tackle the
root cause of the issue by trying to persuade the Vietnamese to
accept the return of economic migrants, under suitable safeguards,
possibly along the lines of their screening programme for Lao refugees in Thailand. Even voluntary repatriation is difficult to
arrange. There have been none from Hong Kong since 1983, compared
with around 3,000 from Thailand back to Laos.
2.
Persuading Vietnam to change its policy, even by means of a
concerted international effort, will take time.
that the concept of first asylum be maintained.
essential that resettlement countries try to do
affected countries.
But it is important
To do so, it is
more for the worst
SOUTH EAST ASIAN DEPARTMENT
FEBRUARY 1988
MR1AAK
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