CONFIDENTIAL
HKB
101
123715
MDHIAN 3296
27319
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 14130OZ FCO
TELNO 2374
OF 14120OZ JULY 89
AND TO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON, HANOI, UKMIS GENEVA
PERSONAL FOR MCLAREN FROM GOVERNOR
(a)
MY 2ND IPT : YOUR TELNOS 1505 AND 1506 : VBP : REPATRIATION : PRESENTATIONAL ASPECTS
1.
AFTER DEPARTURE OF PLANE FROM HANOI, WE WILL ISSUE THE FOLLOWING PRESS RELEASE :
BEGINS
THE GOVERNMENT TODAY,
REPATRIATED TO VIETNAM
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE WHO DO NOT QUALIFY AS
A GROUP OF
REFUGEES.
COMPRISING
MEN,
WOMEN,
BOYS AND
GIRLS,
THEY WERE BOAT PEOPLE WHO HAD BEEN SCREENED OUT AS NON-REFUGEES AND WHOSE APPEALS HAD BEEN REJECTED.
''THEY WERE FLOWN BACK TO HANOI ON A CHARTERED 737 FLIGHT
SAID A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN. ''THEIR RETURN HAS BEEN ARRANGED FOLLOWING AN EXPANSION OF CURRENT REPATRIATION ARRANGEMENTS TO
INCLUDE PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT ACTIVELY VOLUNTEERED. THE VIETNAMESE
GOVERNMENT HAS GIVEN ASSURANCES THAT THE RETURNEES WILL BE TREATED HUMANELY AND, AS IN THE CASE OF VOLUNTARY RETURNEES, WILL NOT BE PUNISHED FOR HAVING LEFT VIETNAM CLANDESTINELY. THE
BRITISH EMBASSY IN HANOI WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MONITORING THEIR CONDITIONS AFTER THEIR RETURN, WHILE DISCUSSIONS WILL CONTINUE WITH THE UNHCR ON THE POSSIBLE INVOLVEMENT OF THEIR OFFICE'
TI
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE REPATRIATION SCHEME INCLUDED REINTEGRATION ASSISTANCE FOR THE RETURNEES, ON SIMILAR LINES TO THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION.
''THE GROUP WERE FLOWN BACK TO VIETNAM THIS MORNING IN THE COMPANY OF HONG KONG IMMIGRATION AND POLICE OFFICERS,' HE SAID.
''IT MUST BE EMPHASIZED THAT TODAY'S REPATRIATION DID NOT INVOLVE
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