Copied to Sir J. Cater HAGO
(74)
See HKK 243/50€
TOP COPY
23
1982
00 HONG KONG DESKBY 1101002
GRS 614
CONFIDENTIAL
DESKBY 110100Z MAY 82
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO 101300Z MAY 82
TU IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 334 OF 10 MAY
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HKK 243/1
RACELAND IN RECPIEY MO. 51
1 MAY 82
RICISTRY
Action Taka
DES
K
PA
No
KSE
18/5
Af 1815
See/84
INFO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA, HANOI AND BANGKOK
YOUR TELNO 456 (NOW COPIED TO BANGKOK): VIETNAMESE REFUGEES FOLLOWING ARE PRELIMINARY COMMENTS. THEY HAVE NOT
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(NOT) BEEN PUT TO MINISTERS AT THIS STAGE.-
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HOWEVER
WE
VOLUNTARY REPATRIATIONS HAVE ALREADY TAKEN PLACE IN LIMITED NUMBERS AND CAUSE NO DIFFICULTY IN PRINCIPLE. AS WE UNDERSTAND IT, YOUR PROPOSAL GOES BEYOND THIS. APPRECIATE ATTRACTION OF ADOPTING A SIMILAR ATTITUDE TO BOAT PEOPLE ARRIVALS AS IS NOW APPLIED TO ILLEGAL CHINESE. HOWEVER AS SEEN FROM HERE THERE ARE CERTAIN FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCES WHICH MAKE THAT APPROACH UNPROFITABLE.. THE MOST OBVIOUS IS THAT THE RETURN OF THE CHINESE ILLEGALS DEPENDS ON CHINESE OFFICIAL WILLINGNESS TO TAKE THEM BACK, AND ON YOUR (AND OUR) BEING SATISFIED THAT THOSE WHO ARE RETURNED WILL NOT SUFFER ARBITRARILY OR EXCESSIVELY FOR HAVING TRIED TO REACH HONG KONG. AS YOU POINT OUT, OUR BILATERAL RELATIONS GIVE NO GROUNDS FOR EXPECTING VIETNAMESE COOPERATION, WHILE VIETNAM'S HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD WOULD SURELY UNDERMINE THE VALUE OF ANY ASSURANCES THEY MIGHT GIVE ON TREATMENT OF RETURNEES. A SECONDARY POINT IS THAT THE PROPORTION OF THOSE IN THE ILLEGAL CHINESE FLOW WHO CAN BE DEEMED TO HAVE POLITICAL RATHER THAN ECONOMIC MOTIVATIONS UPPERMOST, AND SO QUALIFY AS POTENTIAL REFUGEES, IS INSIGNIFICANT, WHILE A CONSIDERABLE ELEMENT AMONG BOAT PEOPLE ARE STILL PRIMARILY FLEEING POLITICAL OPPRESSION. SOME OBSERVERS EG UNHCR OFFICIALS IN DISCUSSION WITH BRITISH VOLUNTARY AGENCIES LAST NOVEMBER (STITT'S LETTER OF 10 NOVEMBER 1981 TO LONG UKMIS GENEVA REFERS) WOULD SAY ALMOST ALL ARE IN THIS POSITION.
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