TNAG-0495-FCO40-560-Deportation-of-foreign-nationals-from-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 43

CONFIDENTIAL

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS TO HONG KONG REPATRIATED TO VIETNAM

Talking points

ANNEX C

1. We are concerned about the fate of the group of South Vietnamese

citizens repatriated from Hong Kong to South Vietnam on 17 June.

2. The Hong Kong Government repatriated the group after assurances

had been given in Saigon and Hong Kong that they would be treated as

innocent victims of the syndicate which had smuggled them out of

Vietnam.

There

There will be serious local repercussions in Hong Kong if any

of the group receives a severe sentence or other harsh treatment.

would also be a strong adverse reaction in Britain (e.g. press,

Parliament, Amnesty International). This would make future cases more

difficult to resolve; tarnish South Vietnam's image internationally;

and provide ammunition for hostile propaganda.

3. We assume that there is no truth whatsoever in the allegation in

Le Monde of 28 June that a Saigon police spokesman has said that the

Hong Kong authorities did not impose any conditions on the repatriation

of the refugees and had not received any assurance that they would not

face any harsh treatment.

41. We hope that you will be able to confirm that the death sentence

passed in his absence on one of the group, Truong Hong, is no longer

valid.

Background

·

5. On 2 June a junk intercepted in Hong Kong waters was found to have

on board 119 illegal immigrants of Chinese descent from South Vietnam.

The majority were males of conscription age who said they were seeking

to avoid the draft. The South Vietnamese Government asked for the

return of the group.

6. The South Vietnamese Consul General in Hong Kong gave assurancea

CONFIDENTIAL

/that