CONFIDENTIAL
HKB 243/9
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 14130OZ FCO
TELNO 2375
OF 14120OZ JULY 89
वह ता
AND TO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON, HANOI, UKMIS GENEVA
106
123727
MDHIAN 3298
- COPY DIST 2
MY 3RD IPT
PERSONAL FOR MCLAREN FROM GOVERNOR
YOUR TELNOS 1505 AND 1506 : VBP : REPATRIATION : PRESENTATIONAL
ASPECTS
1. REVISED LINE TO TAKE WITH MEDIA AS FOLLOWS:
A. CONFIRM THAT ABOUT 20 VBPS WERE REPATRIATED ON () JULY BY PLANE
FROM HONG KONG TO HANOI:
B. THOSE REPATRIATED HAD ALL COMPLETED A LENGTHY SCREENING AND
APPEAL PROCEDURE IN ACCORDANCE WITH UNHCR AND INTERNATIONAL
PRACTICE: (IF NECESARY) UNHCR HAVE HAD ACCESS TO ALL CONCERNED AND
WERE INVOLVED IN PREPARATION OF APPEALS:
C. VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT HAVE ASSURED US THAT THOSE RETURNING WILL
NOT BE PUNISHED FOR HAVING LEFT CLADESTINELY, THAT THEY WILL BE TREATED HUMANELY AND THAT WE CAN MONITOR THEIR TREATMENT AFTER
RETURN:
D. HMG AND HKG WILL PROVIDE REINTEGRATION ASSISTANCE SIMILAR TO THAT
AFFORDED THOSE RETURNING UNDER UNHCR'S PROGRAMME.
2. FOR USE AS NECESSARY.
E. NO FORCE WAS USED AND THERE WAS NEVER ANY QUESTION OF USING
FORCE. WE ARE MAKING EVERY EFFORT TO PERSUADE ALL THOSE SCREENED OUT
AS NON-REFUGEES THAT THEY STAND ABSOLUTELY NO CHANCE OF
RESETTLEMENT ELSEWHERE AND THAT IT IS IN THEIR OWN BEST INTERESTS
TO LEAVE VOLUNTARILY FOR VIETNAM RATHER THAN REMAIN
INDEFINITELY IN A HOLDING CAMP IN HONG KONG:
F. OUR POLICY IS CONSISTENT WITH THE TERMS OF THE CPA UNDER WHICH
THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY HAS AGREED THAT ALL NON-REFUGEES SHOULD
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