CONFIDENTIAL
010071
MDHOAN 6416
REFERRED TO THE NEED TO SEEK RESETTLEMENT AND DURABLE SOLUTIONS. IT SET OUT PROCESSES FOR THE DETERMINATION OF REFUGEE STATUS. IT COVERED THE TREATMENT OF ASYLUM SEEKERS AND PERSONS WHO WERE FOUND NOT TO BE REFUGEES. FINALLY, IT COVERED THE TREATMENT OF PERSONS WHO ARE CLASSIFIED AS REFUGEES.
5. AS THE VIETNAMESE HAD THEMSELVES RECOGNISED, THERE WAS NO DOUBT THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF THOSE WHO HAD ARRIVED RECENTLY WERE ECONOMIC MIGRANTS. THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S SCREENING PROCEDURES WOULD DETECT ALL SUCH CASES, USING INTERNATIONALLY ACCEPTED CRITERIA. UNDER HONG KONG LAW, THEY WOULD BE CLASSIFIED AS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND WOULD HAVE NO ACESS TO RESETTLEMENT. WE WOULD OF COURSE BE DISCUSSING THESE PEOPLE LATER DURING THE TALKS. AS WE HAD MADE CLEAR IN HANOI IN AUGUST, OUR POSITION WAS THAT THESE PEOPLE MUST BE REPATRIATED ACCORDING TO INTERNATIONAL
PRACTICE.
6.
THE SECOND DEVELOPMENT WAS CLEARLY RELATED TO THIS. THERE WAS AN INCREASING NUMBER OF BOAT PEOPLE WHO HAD EXPRESSED THE WISH TO RETURN TO VIETNAM. WE BELIEVED THAT THIS REFLECTED THE GROWING REALISATION THAT THEY WERE UNLIKELY TO BE CLASSIFIED AS REFUGEES, AND THAT THEY HAD NO PROSPECT OF RESETTLEMENT. ABOUT 350 HAD NOW REALISED THAT THEIR JOURNEY HAD BEEN A MISTAKE. RECENTLY THESE FIGURES HAD BEEN INCREASING ALMOST ON A DAILY
BASIS.
7.
THE FINAL DEVELOPMENT HAD BEEN THE DECISION BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO EASE CONDITIONS IN THE CLOSED CAMPS FOR THOSE WHO HAD ARRIVED BEFORE 16 JUNE AND WHO WERE CLASSIFIED AS REFUGEES. THIS ACTION HAD BEEN TAKEN AS THE CONDITIONS IN THE REFUGEE CAMPS HAD BECOME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. WE MENTIONED THIS POINT SO THAT THE VIENTAMESE DELEGATION WOULD NOT BE UNDER ANY IMPRESSION THAT LIBERALISATION WOULD EFFECT THE STATUS OF PEOPLE ARRIVING AFTER 16 JUNE.
8. IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION FROM KHOAN, BARNES SAID THAT IT WAS OUR AIM THAT ALL THOSE CLASSIFIED AS REFUGEES SHOULD BE ACCOMMODATED IN CENTRES UNDER UNHCR CONTROL. NEW CENTRES WERE BEING BUILT FOR THAT PURPOSE. BUT ALL THOSE WHO HAD ARRIVED SINCE 16 JUNE, WHO WERE NOT CLASSIFIED AS REFUGEES, WOULD REMAIN UNDER HONG KONG GOVERNMENT MANAGEMENT.
HOWE
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CONFIDENTIAL