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CONFIDENTIAL
MED 243/9 HKD
122350 MDHOAN 8605
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO DESKBY 06013OZ HANOI
TELNO 119
OF 05171OZ APRIL 89
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, UKMIS GENEVA, JAKARTA
JAKARTA FOR PS/LORD GLENARTHUR
YOUR TELNO 167 : LORD GLENARTHUR'S VISIT TO VIETNAM : VIETNAMESE
BOAT PEOPLE
MIPT : POINTS TO MAKE
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YOU ARE AWARE OF GREAT
IMPORTANCE OF THIS ISSUE FOR HMG/HKG.
RATE OF NEW ARRIVALS IN HK IS ALARMING.
AT 1312 SO FAR IN 1989, 64 PER CENT UP ON 1988.
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG POSE AN INTOLERABLE
SOCIAL AND FINANCIAL BURDEN. PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR FIRST ASSYLUM
POLICY RAPIDLY DIMINISHING.
ESSENTIAL TO STEM THE FLOW. WELCOME MEASURES TAKEN BY VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES. BUT SELF-EVIDENT THAT NOT ENOUGH
IS BEING DONE TO DETER NEW DEPARTURES.
RECALL AGREEMENT BETWEEN US LAST OCTOBER ON NEED FOR COMPREHENSIVE ARRANGEMENTS. PLEASED WITH PROGRESS AT KL PREPCON AND GRATEFUL FOR YOUR CONSTRUCTIVE ROLE. SUCCESSFUL CONFERENCE IN JUNE WILL REQUIRE CONTINUED COOPERATION OF ALL
CONCERNED.
WE ATTACH PARTICULAR IMPORTANCE TO PRINCIPLE ACCEPTED BY ALL
PARTIES AT KL THAT ALL CALL) NON-REFUGEES SHOULD RETURN TO THEIR
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN. WELL ESTABLISHED INTERNATIONAL PRACTICE
AND MUST NOT BE ERODED.
WE HAVE MADE A START IN TACKLING PROBLEM THROUGH VOLUNTARY
REPATRIATION. HOPE WE CAN FOLLOW UP WITH FURTHER BATCHES SOON, AND THAT MORE WILL FOLLOW. BUT RESULTS SO FAR DISAPPOINTING :
NUMBERS RETURNING ONLY A TRICKLE.
VOLUNTARY RETURNS ALONE UNLIKELY TO PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE
SOLUTION TO PROBLEM. WE SHALL THERE FORE NEED TO
-
LOOK SOON AT ALTERNATIVES ENVISAGED IN THE DRAFT CPA
INCLUDING THE INTRODUCTION OF MANDATORY REPATRIATION.
GIVEN PRESENT RATE OF ARRIVALS AND PROSPECT OF FURTHER LARGE INFLUX, PRESSURE FOR MOVE TO MANDATORY REPATRIATION IS BOUND TO GROW.
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