CONFIDENTIAL
нко
243/& Love
ker
77
160301
MDHIAN 4379
ملت
نا
SEA
tet
MIPT: NEW US MEASURES TO CURB ASYLUM SEEKERS
V.A.
1282
1.
WE HAVE BEEN CONSIDERING WHETHER THERE IS SCOPE TO USE THIS CHANGE OF US POLICY TOWARDS THEIR SOUTHERN NEIGHBOURS TO URGE THEM TO TAKE A MORE SYMPATHETIC LINE ON HONG KONG'S SCREENING/REPATRIATION POLICY.
2. THE PARALLELS ARE NOT EXACT: FOR ONE THING THE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG ARE SEEKING REFUGEE STATUS RATHER THAN ASYLUM. WE ARE NOT QUALIFIED TO COMMENT ON THE LEGAL IMPLICATIONS OF THAT. BUT SUBJECT TO THE VIEWS OF THE EXPERTS, THERE SEEM TO US TO BE ENOUGH SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE TWO CASES TO AT LEAST ALLOW US TO MAKE SOME GENERAL POLITICAL POINTS SUCH AS:
(I) WHEN CONFRONTED WITH A SUDDEN AND MASSIVE INFLUX OF ASYLUM SEEKERS, THE US LIKE HONG KONG, HAVE FOUND IT NECESSARY TO IMPOSE A TOUGHER REGIME INVOLVING THE DETENTION AND DEPORTATION OF THOSE WHO AFTER DUE PROCESS ARE FOUND NOT TO MEET THE CRITERIA FOR ACCEPTANCE INTO THE US.
(II) THE US LIKE HONG KONG HAVE CONCLUDED THAT THE ONLY WAY TO DETER A FLOOD OF NEW ARRIVALS IS TO IMPLEMENT A DEPORTATION/ REPATRIATION POLICY. AS THE INS STATEMENT PUTS IT QUOTE DEPORTATION IS THE ULTIMATE DETERRENT TO UNCONTROLLED ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION. DETENTION IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY OF ENSURING AN ALIEN'S APPEARANCE AT A DEPORTATION HEARING, AND A DETERRENT IN ITSELF TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION UNQUOTE.
(III) WE THEREFORE HOPE THAT IN THE INTERESTS OF CONSISTENCY THE US WILL BE READY TO GIVE FULL SUPPORT TO HONG KONG'S EFFORTS TO DEAL WITH ITS REFUGEE PROBLEM, WHICH IS EVERY BIT AS PRESSING AS THAT POSED BY CENTRAL AMERICANS IN THE US, THROUGH A SCREENING/ REPATRIATION POLICY.
LINE OF ARGUMENT IS POLICY TOWARDS VIET-
3. WE SHOULD NOT HAVE ANY ILLUSIONS THAT THIS LIKELY TO LEAD TO ANY SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN US NAMESE REFUGEES. THE ADMINISTRATION'S RESERVED LINE ON REPATRIATION IS BASED AT LEAST PARTLY ON CONCERN ABOUT THE CONGRESSIONAL REACTIONS SHOULD THE US BE ASSOCIATED WITH FORCIBLE REPATRIATION TO VIETNAM. DEPORTATION OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS TO
EMOTIONAL IMPACT CENTRAL AMERICA IS NOT LIKELY TO HAVE THE SAME
1
PAGE CONFIDENTIAL