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CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTAL
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FM HONG KONG 111039Z JUN 82
TO PRIORITY F C O
TELEGRAM NUMBER 618 OF 11 JUNE
هنا
ADO
1812. 13/6
Af
07
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, UKMIS GENEVA, HANOI, BANGKOK
(104)
YOUR TELNO 334 AND OUR TELNO 608 : REPATRIATION TO VIETNAM
AS YOU SAY, VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION HAS ALREADY BEEN EFFECTED IN SOME CASES. IN THE CHANGED CIRCUMSTANCES IT MIGHT HAVE MORE DETERRENT AFFECT THAN IT DID IN THE PAST. MOREOVER IT IS NOT INCONCEIVABLE THAT AFTER CLOSED CAMPS HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED FOR SOME TIME, SOME REFUGEES MAY SEEK VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION WHEN THEY SEE LITTLE CHANCE OF RESETTLEMENT. WE ARE PROPOSING TO AMEND THE IMMIGRATION ORDINANCE TO FACILITATE THIS.
2. WE APPRECIATE THAT INVOLUNTARY REPATRIATION IS FRAUGHT WITH DIFFICULTIES AND WOULD ONLY BE FEASIBLE IF THE VIETNAMESE WERE PREPARED TO COOPERATE. BUT WE ARE VERY RELUCTANT TO RULE OUT THE POSSIBILITY AT THIS STAGE (SEE PARA 5 BELOW): INDEED WE MUST PURSUE THIS OPTION.
3. BEARING IN MIND THE RESULTS OF VIETNAM'S OFFER IN 1979 TO STOP ORGANISING DEPARTURES OF REFUGEES, WE DO NOT AGREE THAT VIETNAM'S HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD WOULD NECESSARILY INVALIDATE ANY ASSURANCES WHICH THEY MIGHT GIVE ON TREATMENT OF RETURNEES. EXPERIENCE WOULD
PROVIDE THE ONLY SURE GUIDE.
4. NOR DO WE AGREE THAT A CONSIDERABLE ELEMENT AMONG CURRENT BOAT PEOPLE ARE **POLITICAL REFUGEES. THE GREAT MAJORITY OF ARRIVALS IN RECENT MONTHS CLAIM THEY HAVE NOT LEFT BECAUSE OF
POLITICAL OPPRESSION BUT FOR ESSENTIALLY ECONOMIC REASONS. THIS IS
BORNE OUT BY THE NUMBERS WHO FAIL THE INS TEST TO GAIN ENTRY TO THE US PROGRAMME EVEN THOUGH THEY SATISFY THE US CRITERIA OTHERWISE. SO IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO SCREEN ARRIVALS TO ESTABLISH
IN WHICH CATEGORY THEY FALL.
5. PRESSURE IS ON US NOT TO GIVE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT COMPARED TO 11'S FROM CHINA. WHEN THE PUBLIC LEARN OF THE COST OF RUNNING CLOSED CAMPS (ABOUT HK DOLLARS 100 MILLION IN THE FIRST YEAR INCLUDING CAPITAL AND RECURRENT COSTS), THIS PRESSURE
WILL CERTAINLY INCREASE. WE SHOULD THEREFORE LIKE TO REVERT TO THE POSSIBILITY OF A CONCERTED APPROACH TO THE VIETNAMESE DESCRIBED
IN PARA 4 OF MY TELEGRAM 456 OF 6 MAY.
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16.
CONFIDENTAL
See (120
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