CONFIDENTIAL
AIDE MEMOIRE
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG
1.
The first half of 1988 saw a dramatic increase in the
numbers of Vietnamese boat people arriving in Hong Kong.
They had virtually no hope of resettlement. In the face of
unsustainable pressures, and in an effort to achieve a humane
solution to an open-ended problem not of their own making,
the British and Hong Kong Governments announced a change of
policy on 16 June 1988. In short Refugee status is no longer
accorded automatically, but applicants are screened; if they
do not meet internationally recognised refugee criteria,
they are to be repatriated to Vietnam. Further details of the increasing pressures, and of the new policy, are contained in
the attached Annex A.
2.
Following negotiations the Governments of Vietnam, the UK
and Hong Kong have agreed that comprehensive arrangements are
needed for arrivals since 16 June who do not meet refugee
criteria. They have agreed to make a start with the repatriation
of those who ask to return. However it must be clear that all
non-refugees will ultimately face repatriation. Publicly to
limit repatriation to volunteers would discourage those already
in the Hong Kong camps from facing up to the fact that no
other country will take them and encourage more people in
Vietnam to set off. It is crucial to the policy of comprehensive
arrangements agreed by the British and Hong Kong Governments
with the Government of Vietnam that the Vietnamese Government
accept its responsibilities towards its citizens and agrees to
take back all the illegal immigrants in Hong Kong, not just
volunteers. We accept that non-voluntary repatriation would
raise problems which will have to be addressed in due course,
these but do
do not need to be faced immediately.
CONTIDENTTAT