'L.
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 2832
OF 24113OZ AUGUST 89
AND TO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON
INFO IMMEDIATE HANOI, UKMIS GENEVA
054517 MDHIAN 3190
WASHINGTON TELNO 2247 TO FCO: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: TALKS IN WASHINGTON: DAY ONE
AS REGARDS THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE UNHCR IN THE APPEALS PROCEDURE (PARA 4 OF TUR) WE CONFIRM THAT THEY ARE NOT PRESENT DURING THE DELIBERATIONS OF THE REVIEW BOARD. THE BOARD IS AN INDEPENDENT BODY. THE UNHCR ARE GIVEN WELL IN ADVANCE THE LIST OF THE CANDIDATES WHOSE CASES THE BOARD WILL CONSIDER. THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD CONVENES WEEKLY MEETINGS WITH THE UNHCR TO MAKE SURE THAT ANY MATTER OF SIGNIFICANT CONCERN IS DRAWN TO THE BOARD'S ATTENTION PRIOR TO CONSIDERATION OF THE APPEALS.
2. AS REGARDS THE POINT ABOUT POSSIBLE DIFFERENCES IN SCREENING WE CONFIRM THAT FOR THE PURPOSE OF STATUS DETERMINATION ALL CASES ARE SUBJECT TO THE SAME PROCEDURES THE DECISION TO SCREEN-IN OR SCREENED- OUT IS MADE AT THE SAME LEVEL I.E. SENIOR IMMIGRATION OFFICER LEVEL. HOWEVER SCREENED-IN CASES ARE PUT TO AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR TO MEET AN IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT REQUIREMENT TO PERMIT A PERSON TO REMAIN IN HONG KONG AS A REFUGEE PENDING RESETTLEMENT ELSEWHERE.
3. WE HAVE SOME DOUBTS ABOUT THE QUOTED FIGURE OF AN ADDITIONAL 800 PEOPLE VOLUNTEERING TO RETURN TO VIETNAM. OUR UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THERE ARE ABOUT 800 OUTSTANDING APPLICATIONS FROM VBP'S IN HONG KONG. ABOUT 500 OF THESE ARE ACTIVE CASES AND THE REMAINDER ARE THOSE WHO HAVE APPLIED AND SUBSEQUENTLY WITHDRAWN THEIR NAMES. THE UNHCR HOWEVER DO NOT DELETE SUCH PERSONS FROM THEIR LISTS ON THE GROUNDS THAT THEY MAY LATER CHANGE THEIR MINDS AND EVENTUALLY RE-VOLUNTEER.
4. WE THINK THE POINT ALSO NEEDS TO BE MADE THAT WHILST FULLY SUPPORTING VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION WE SEE IT AS A PARTIAL SOLUTION ONLY. IT LACKS THE ESSENTIAL ELEMENT OF DETERRENCE WHICH CAN ONLY BE PROVIDED BY MANDATORY REPATRIATION. WE ENVISAGE BOTH SCHEMES WORKING IN PARALLEL AND WOULD SEE MANDATORY REPATRIATION NOT ONLY DETERRING VIETNAMESE FROM SETTING OUT FOR HONG KONG BUT ALSO ACTING AS A STIMULANT IN HONG KONG FOR PEOPLE TO CHOOSE THE ALTERNATIVE
PAGE
1
CONFIDENTIAL