TNAG-0446-FCO40-511-Discussions-with-Sir-Murray-MacLehose--Governor-of-Hong-Kong-1975 — Page 45

CONFIDENTIAL

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Mr Male

Sir D Watson

PS/Lord Goronwy-Roberts

HONG KONG:

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POLICY ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM SOUTH-EAST ASIA (OTHER THAN CHINA) Problem

1.

Hong Kong have reviewed their general policy on illegal immigrants from South-East Asia. The Political Adviser has summarised their position in his letter of 27 September and has asked for our agreement to the resumption of removals. Background

2.

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The Political Adviser's letter is partly a reply to my own letter of 15 May, in which, before the case of the 118 South Vietnamese, I invited his comments on an enquiry from Amnesty International about Hong Kong's policy on immigrants from South Vietnam. The general question has since been overshadowed by the case of the 118.

3.

The Political Adviser now tells us that, not counting the 118 and immigrants from China, Hong Kong returned between

1 April 1971 and 31 July 1974 a totul of 838 illegal immigrants to countries in the region. The numbers have been increasing and (again not counting the 118), 230 were returned in the first seven months of 1974 alone. In addition there are a number of suspected illegal immigrants whose cases have not yet been fully investigated, and for whom it is not known whether their countries of origin would be prepared to accept them. Finally, there are thought to be many more illegal immigrants living in Hong Kong, who have not yet been identified.

4. The Hong Kong Government think it essential, in order to avoid being swamped, to resume the practice of returning illegal immigrants to their countries of origin, except where there are valid objections on compassionate or humanitarian grounds, or where an immigrant is a refugee from racial, political or religious persecution. Decisions are now pending on 13 cases in which removal seems to be justified. Five would be returned to South Vietnam and eight to the Khmer Republic. Our Embassy in Phnom Penh were invited to comment on whether the latter would be liable to suffer any "unusual penalty" on their return. They have

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