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TELELETTER FILE REF N FR
OF 17070OZ JUNE 88
INFO TELELETTER HONG KONG
SEAD
2116 UND
PA
145457 344
MDTTAN 5939
Mr Houth mr lake
Wo пботать
eth1976
In thall vesini
FROM W C PATEY
FOLLOWING FOR C WOOD, HONG KONG DEPT, FCO
COPIED TO DPA, HONG KONG
265)
OUR TELNO 403: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE
1 THE AUSTRALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER HAS AGREED THE FOLLOWING
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STATEMENT WHICH THE AUSTRALIANS WILL USE IF ASKED ABOUT THE CHANGE
OF POLICY ON VIETNAMESE REFUGEES LANDING IN HONG KONG:
QUOTE
THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT IS CONSCIOUS OF THE DIFFICULTIES POSED
FOR THE HONG KONG GEVERNMENT AND OTHER REGIONAL COUNTRIES
BY THE CONTINUING ARRIVAL OF PEOPLE FROM VIETNAM. WE HAVE SUPPORTED
THE HUMANE APPROACH PURSUED BY THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES IN DEALING
WITH THE CONTINUING INFLOW AND RECOGNISE THE NEED OF THE HONG KONG
AUTHORITIES TO ACHIEVE A DIMINUTION OF UNCONTROLLED ARRIVAL
OF PEOPLE WITHOUT LEGITIMATE REFUGEE CLAIMS. WE SUPPORT THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF A SCREENING PROCESS FROM 16 JUNE UNDER UNHCR
GUIDELINES WHICH WILL DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN THOSE WHO MAY BE ACCORDED REFUGEE STATUS AND THOSE WHO ARE NOT. WE WELCOME THE
RETENTION OF MECHANISMS TO IDENTIFY GENUINE REFUGEES. RECOGNISING THAT THIS IS A COMPLEX PROBLEM, WE SUPPORT WORKING TOWARDS PROPOSED REPATRIATION UNDER APPROPRIATE CONDITIONS TO VIETNAM OF THOSE WHO
DO NOT MEET REFUGEE CRITERIA. SCREENING AND REPATRIATION HAVE
BEEN POLICIES ADVOCATED BY AUSTRALIA OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.
UNQUOTE
SIGNED W C PATEY
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