CONF IDENTIAL
HUD 243 18
RECF
2 4 AUG 1988
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
DESK OFFICER
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
INDE.
PA
TELNO 2173
OF 231325Z AUGUST 88
N
687
007002
MDHOAN 2901
EGISTRY
Taken
LSIG O ADO DO
INFO IMMEDIATE BANGKOK, UKMIS GENEVA, KUALA LUMPUR
(684)
MIPT VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG FOLLOWING'S TEXT OF OUR DRAFT 'NON-PAPER':
BEGINS
-
1. BRITISH AND HONG KONG OFFICIALS MET VIETNAMESE OFFICIALS IN HANOI ON 3 4 AUGUST TO DISCUSS POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS TO THE
PROBLEM OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG. THE DISCUSSIONS WERE CONDUCTED IN AN OPEN AND FRIENDLY MANNER AND ALTHOUGH THIS FIRST ROUND OF TALKS WAS ESSENTIALLY EXPLORATORY, USEFUL PROGRESS WAS MADE ON SOME POINTS OF PRINCIPLE. OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES HAVE YET TO BE AGREED AND WILL BE PURSUED AT A FURTHER ROUND OF
TALKS.
2.
THE BRITISH/HONG KONG OBJECTIVES WERE TO PERSUADE THE
VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT:
(A) TO ACCEPT REPATRIATION OF ALL VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE ARRIVING IN HONG KONG AFTER 16 JUNE WHO ARE NOT GENUINE REFUGEES IN ACCORDANCE WITH INTERNATIONAL CRITERIA AND SUBJECT TO SUITABLE
SAFEGUARDS AS TO THEIR TREATMENT ON RETURN.
(B) TO TAKE EFFECTIVE ACTION TO STOP THE OUTFLOW OF BOAT
PEOPLE.
3. A LIST OF DEPARTURE POINTS AND ROUTES TAKEN TO HONG KONG, TOGETHER WITH OTHER MATERIAL, WAS HANDED OVER TO THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES IN SUPPORT OF OBJECTIVE (B).
4. THE VIETNAMESE SIDE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE BOAT PEOPLE ISSUE WAS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND THAT AN EFFECTIVE SOLUTION WAS URGENTLY REQUIRED. THEY SAID THAT THE OUTFLOW WAS CAUSED PRIMARILY BY ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS WITHIN VIETNAM, BUT THERE WERE ALSO EXTERNAL REASONS BEYOND THEIR CONTROL. THEY ASSURED THE BRITISH/HONG KONG DELEGATION THAT THEY WOULD MAKE AN INCREASED EFFORT TO PREVENT DEPARTURES BY BOAT.ON REPATRIATION THE VIETNAMESE
SIDE SAID THAT THEY WOULD BE PREPARED TO ACCEPT ONLY VOLUNTARY RETURNEES. THEY INDICATED THAT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE WOULD BE NECESSARY TO HELP THEIR RESETTLEMENT.
5.
BOTH SIDES AGREED TO MEET AGAIN SOON. A COPY OF A PRESS STATEMENT ON THE TALKS, AGREED BY BOTH SIDES, IS ATTACHED.
ENDS.
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CONFIDENTIAL