TNAG-0879-FCO40-1089-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 27

CONFIDENTIAL

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3. The Hong Kong Government's recent decision to allow over

3,000 refugees aboard the HUEY FONG to land in Hong Kong pending

resettlement elsewhere does not signify a change of policy on the

part of the Hong Kong authorities on the admission of refugees.

Their policy was explained in Mr Luard's written Answer on

16 January. The HUEY FONG passengers will be required to join the

long resettlement queue in the Colony (now over 9,000 people).

4.

There is evidence that the Vietnamese Government have organized

and profited by the recent exodus of boat refugees (which is clearly

part of a deliberate policy to rid the country of its Chinese

minority). The Secretary of State summoned the Vietnamese Ambassador

on 23 January to express the Government's concern.

5.

But it remains to be

The Vietnamese Government have said they will cooperate with

the UNHCR in taking measures to allow those Vietnamese who wish to

do so to leave Vietnam in an orderly fashion.

seen whether this statement represents a genuine change of heart

and, even if so, how it will work out in practice.

6. The Hong Kong Government have passed legislation to help them

deal with racketeers involved in the refugee trade and to deter

such racketeers from entering the Colony.

CONFIDENTIAL