TNAG-1069-FCO40-1319-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-in-the-UK-1981 — Page 9

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CONFIDENTIAL

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RONEN MITRY NO. 51

30 DEC 1981

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CONFIDENTIAL

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TEL NO 498 OF 21 DEC 81 HONG KONG TELNO 1122 TO FCO: US POLICY ON VIETNAMESE REFUGEES. 1. IT IS TOO SOON TO MEASURE THE SUCCESS OF THE THAI ''HUMANE DETERRENT'' POLICY ON VIETNAMESE BOAT REFUGEES (PARA SE OF CHIEF SECRETARY'S LETTER OF 2 DECEMBER TO DONALD.), AND WE WOULD NEED TO SEE FURTHER MONTHLY TREND AFTER THE SHIFT IN THE MONSOON. THE MEASURES HAVE HOWEVER SHOWN SOME SUCCESS AS FAR AS LAO REFUGEES ARE CONCERNED.

2. WE SEE NO PROSPECT OF SUCCESSFUL NEGOTIATIONS WITH VIETNAM ON REPATRIATION. THE THAIS HAVE TRIED UNSUCCESSFULLY SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE 1945 AND 1954 VIETNAMESE REFUGEES, AND THE VIETNAMESE THEMSELVES APPEAR TO HAVE RULED OUT THIS POSSIBILITY (PARA 2 OF DEREK TONKINS LETTER OF 3 DECEMBER TO STITT).

3. HONG KONG IS NOT ALONEFIN SUFFERING THE EFFECTS OF THE NEW AMERICAN RESETTLEMENT POLICY. THE AMERICANS WERE THEMSELVES BEHIND THE THAI ''HUMANE DETERRENT'', AND NOW ACCEPT NO NEW LAO ARRIVALS FOR RESETJWEMENT IRRESPECTIVE OF FORMER U.S TIES. WHILE WE APPRECIATE THAT LSHONG KONG HUMANE DETERRENT WOULD BE INAPPROPRIATE YOU MAY WISH TO CONSIDER ADVISING HONG KONG, IF THE AMERICANS REFUSE TO MODIFY THEIR NEW POLICY, TO TAKE A LEAF OUT OF THE THAI BOOK BY ENCOURAGING THE BBC AND VOA TO CARRY TO VIETNAM DETAILED COVERAGE OF THE NEW AMERICAN (UNDERLINED) POLICY: IN AN ATTEMPT TO DETER/REDUCE CATEGORY 4E DEPARTURES FROM VIETNAM.

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MR DONALD

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