HKD 2439
CONFIDENTIAL
25
CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 626
OF 060711Z APRIL 88
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG
MY TELNO 401: ECVIIS
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
047101
MDLIAN 7558
1. DURING A CALL BY RIORDAN ON 6 APRIL WANG WEIYANG GAVE THE CHINESE SIDE'S FORMAL RESPONSE TO OUR NOTE AND MEMORANDUM ON ECVIIS HANDED OVER BY PIGOTT ON 26 FEBRUARY (TUR).
2.
WANG SAID THE CHINESE SIDE HAD CONCLUDED, CONSIDERATION AND CONSULTATION, THAT:
·
AFTER DUE
A) AS REGARDS THE ECVIIS REMAINING IN HONG KONG, THE CHINESE SIDE WOULD ACCEPT REPATRIATION OF ALL WHO HAD BEEN VERIFIED AS HAVING BEEN SETTLED IN THE MAINLAND, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AGREEMENT REACHED BETWEEN THE GUANGDONG AND HONG KONG AUTHORITIES IN AUGUST 1987:
B) THE CHINESE SIDE COULD NOT (NOT) ACCEPT THE REPATRIATION OF REFUGEES FROM FANG CHENG AS THEY WERE NOT REFUGEES WHO HAD BEEN SETTLED IN THE MAINLAND. THE QUESTION OF RESETTLEMENT OUGHT TO BE RESOLVED WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF UNHCR. THIS PRINCIPLE WAS ALREADY UNDERSTOOD BY UNHCR AND THE CHINESE SIDE REQUESTED THE BRITISH SIDE TO CONTACT UNHCR:
C)
AS REGARDS THE ONE VIETNAMESE PRISONER OF WAR, HE HAD BEEN REPATRIATED TO VIETNAM LONG BEFORE BY CHINA. THIS TIME HE HAD COME TO HONG KONG FROM VIETNAM. THUS HE WAS NOT A REFUGEE WHO HAD BEEN SETTLED IN CHINA, AND THE CHINESE SIDE COULD NOT ACCEPT HIS REPATRIATION:
D) THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS OFFICE OF GUANGDONG PROVINCE AND THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAD REACHED A SEVEN-POINT AGREEMENT IN AUGUST 1987 ON THE REPATRIATION OF ECVIIS IN HONG KONG. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THAT AGREEMENT, THE TWO SIDES HAD ARRANGED FOR THE REPATRIATION OF MOST E CVIIS IN HONG KONG. THE VERIFICATION AND REPATRIATION OF THE REMAINING ECVIIS WAS A MATTER TO BE DEALT WITH THROUGH CONSULTATION BETWEEN THE GUANGDONG AND HONG KONG AUTHORITIES.
3. RIORDAN EXPRESSED THANKS FOR THE RESPONSE AND UNDERTOOK TO REPORT.