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FM FCO
ΤΟ IMMEDIATE HANOI
TELNO 361
OF 26180OZ OCTOBER 89
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
g/c. PRESS
117052
MDHOAN 6423
330
RESTRICTED
НКВ
243/9
TOP COPY ↑ DIST ?
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: REPATRIATION: PRESS COVERAGE FOR AMBASSADOR
FROM COLVIN SEAD
1.
THE FOREIGN SECRETARY'S REPLY TO A QUESTION ABOUT VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE AT QUESTION TIME YESTERDAY HAS RECEIVED WIDE PRESS COVERAGE TODAY. YOU MAY FIND IT HELPFUL TO HAVE THE TEXT OF WHAT
HE SAID AND AN ACCOUNT OF THE PRESS COVERAGE IN CASE THE VIETNAMESE RAISE THE MATTER WITH YOU.
2. RESPONDING TO THE QUESTION HOW HE INTENDED TO DETERMINE BETWEEN ECONOMIC MIGRANTS AND GENUINE REFUGEES IN THE CASE OF HONG KONG, THE FOREIGN SECRETARY SAID QUOTE THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY HAS ACCEPTED FOR SOME TIME THAT ALL THOSE SCREENED OUT AS NON-REFUGEES SHOULD, IN DUE COURSE, BE RETURNED TO VIETNAM. ULTIMATELY, THAT IT IS THE ONLY POSSIBLE SOLUTION. UNQUOTE. ASKED ABOUT THE PROGRESS OF TALKS ON MONITORING WITH THE VIETNAMESE THE FOREIGN SECRETARY SAID QUOTE THOSE TALKS ARE STILL CONTINUING. I HOPE THAT THEY WILL BE CONCLUDED BEFORE TOO LONG BUT AS YET, THEY ARE NOT YET FINISHED. WE ARE CONCERNED TO ENSURE THAT WHEN VIETNAMESE REFUGEES AND NON-REFUGEES RETURN TO VIETNAM THEY ARE TREATED PROPERLY AND FAIRLY AND WE SHALL SEEK TO ENSURE THAT MONITORING ARRANGEMENTS ARE MADE TO SAFEGUARD THEM UNQUOTE. AFTER AN INTERVENTION BY GEORGE FOULKES WHO EXPRESSED OPPOSITION SUPPORT FOR ENCOURAGEMENT AND PERSUASION TO RETURN RATHER THAN FORCED REPATRIATION THE FOREIGN SECRETARY SAID QUOTE
IT IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY CLEAR THAT VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION CANNOT PROVIDE THE COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION THAT IS NECESSARY. WE ARE SEEKING TO COUNSEL AND PERSUADE THE VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE TO RETURN TO VIETNAM. WE ARE RECEIVING THE FULL SUPPORT OF THE
UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES IN DOING SO. I
INVITE THE HON GENTLEMAN TO RECOGNISE THAT THE PROBLEM IN HONG
KONG IS NOW ACUTE. IT IS GETTING WORSE AND CANNOT BE BORNE MUCH LONGER. IT WILL SOON BE NECESSARY TO TACKLE THE THORNY QUESTION
OF INVOLUNTARY REPATRIATION. I SHALL DO THAT AS AND WHEN IT IS NECESSARY. I SHALL MOST CERTAINLY BE SEEKING SAFEGUARDS FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO RETURN BECAUSE I REGARD THAT AS A MOST IMPORTANT
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