SECRET
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 683
OF 16180OZ MARCH 89
109)
044323
MDHOAN 7374
SECRET
HKD 24319... нко
TOP COPY
FOLLOWING PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM PAUL, HKD
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: POST 16 JUNE ARRIVALS
1.
YOU WILL RECALL THAT DURING YOUR VISIT HERE IN FEBRUARY DAVID COLVIN VERY TENTATIVELY FLOATED WITH YOU THE IDEA OF MOVING THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE COMMENCEMENT OF YOUR SCREENING POLICY TO BRING IT IN LINE WITH WHATEVER DATE WAS AGREED BY THE COUNTRIES OF FIRST ASYLUM IN THE REGION. THIS WOULD OF COURSE MEAN THAT THOSE 10,000 BOAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE ARRIVED SINCE 16 JUNE WOULD AFTER ALL HAVE REFUGEE STATUS.
2 YOU WERE NOT I THINK, AT ALL ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THE IDEA. NOR AM I. WHILST IT WOULD REMOVE THE DIFFICULT PROBLEM OF HOW TO REPATRIATE 10,000 POTENTIALLY UNWILLING RETURNEES, IT WOULD UNDERMINE THE DETERRENCE PRINCIPLE AND WOULD PRESUMABLY BE POLITICALLY UNACCEPTABLE IN HONG KONG (UNLESS OF COURSE, AS YOU POINTED OUT, IT WERE POSSIBLE TO RESETTLE ALL 10,000 WITHIN A VERY SHORT SPACE OF TIME).
3.
DO YOU SEE ANY POINT IN FURTHER DEVELOPING THIS IDEA OR WOULD YOU ADVISE US TO DROP IT? SOME OF US HERE DO SEE THIS AS A POSSIBLE MEANS OF RESOLVING WHAT COULD BE A SERIOUS AND INTRACTABLE LONG-TERM FINANCIAL AND CAMP MANAGEMENT BURDEN ON HONG KONG OF 10,000 UNRETURN- ABLE NON REFUGEES. THERE IS A CERTAIN LOGIC IN THAT, ALTHOUGH WE ALL OF COURSE HOPE THAT IT WILL BE POSSIBLE TO MAKE MORE RAPID PROGRESS TOWARDS A PROGRAMME OF MANDATORY REPATRIATION. BUT IN ANY CASE, I SENSE THAT PRACTICAL POLITICS EFFECTIVELY RULE OUT THE IDEA.
HOWE
YYYY
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