CONFIDENTIAL
THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HER BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT
OD (K) (89) (4)
SEPTEMBER 1989
CABINET
DEFENCE AND OVERSEAS POLICY COMMITTEE
SUBCOMMITTEE ON HONG KONG
THE VIETNAMESE BOAT PEO PLE
MEMORANDUM BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH
AFFAIRS
INTRODUCTION
1. On 29 June, OD (K) considered a Memorandum (OD (K) (89)3) on the
outcome of the International Conference on Indochinese Refugees
(ICIR) in Geneva on 13/14 June and the follow-up action. The purpose of this paper is to report on developments since OD (K) last
met, to consider our strategy for the Review Conference (SC3) to be
held on 16/17 October; and to seek contingent authority to introduce
mandatory repatriation in the light of the outcome of SC3.
THE SITUATION IN HONG KONG
2.
Since
The situation in Hong Kong has continued to deteriorate.
OD (K) last met, boat people have been arriving in large numbers:
4282 in July and 4481 in August. The numbers have declined in September (744 so far) in accordance with the usual seasonal
pattern. There are now over 55,000 boat people in the territory, of
whom 32,330 arrived in 1989 alone. Of the total, 13,500 are
refugees who will be resettled. Most of the rest still await Screening (the results so far indicate that about 13% are likely to
2002 were
it should be assumed that
kand
it to be refingers.
qualify as genuine refugees). So 2,000 will eventually be
VIMAAE
CONFIDENTIAL