TNAG-1180-FCO40-1482-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-into-the--1982 — Page 64

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11.

He

Mr Smyser acknowledged that Hong Kong had a special situation of which he was fully aware. wanted to make sure that although this programme was winding down, there should be no loss of momentum. UNHCR was currently considering other ways of solving the problem by, for example, voluntary repatriation. He also recognised the background of those refugees coming to Hong Kong and that they were not easily resettled. He said he would be discussing some of these cases with the US Consulate during his visit.

12.

S for S remarked that Hong Kong tended to be on the receiving end on reductions of quotas or changes of policy. Some movement of the hardcore cases would be greatly appreciated. He enquired on the likelihood of UNHCR opening a dialogue with Vietnam on repatriation. DPA added that if the new arrivals were declared by others not to be genuine refugees, then the Hong Kong Government would in theory be entitled to repatriate them, voluntarily or otherwise. However the advice from the British Embassy in Hanoi was that there was no chance of securing in the foreseeable future, the required degree of cooperation from the Vietnamese Government.

13.

Mr Rizvi commented that in international practice, one who entered another country illegally was considered an illegal immigrant. The major obstacle in voluntary repatriation was to encourage the Vietnamese Government to do two things simultaneously accept the continuation of a resettlement programme for those who had left clandestinely and at the same time go ahead and accept voluntary repatriation. These were incon- sistent policies and the Vietnamese Government had rejected repatriation. In other respects UNHCR's experience in Hanoi was that the Vietnamese Government was quite co-operative.

14.

S for S remarked that HKG had had a lot of experience of repatriation. Once it started, resettle- ment should end simultaneously.

15.

Mr Symser commented that the refugee outflow needed to be stopped at source. UNHCR was not a country and could not, therefore, give a guarantee of resettlement but they would continue to press resettlement countries to take more. UNHCR's concern was to maintain inter-

national humanity.

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