PP HONG KONG
GRS 264
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO 171145Z JUNE 82
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
CONFIDENTIAL
120
See MKK 243/5 (53)
1983
TOP COPY
10827
1
HKK 243/1
N
RECEIVED TRY NO. $1
** JUN
TELEGRAM NUMBER 455 OF 17 JUNE
107
INFO UKMIS GENEVA, HANOI, BANGKOK
YOUR TELNO 618 : REPATRIATION TO VIETNAM
HKK 243/2
1981
DESK OFWER
INDEX
NO
८५८
RESISTRY
Acton Ta
From Na
12/6 ; Af 29/6
1. WE UNDERSTAND YOUR RELUCTANCE TO GIVE UP INVOLUNTARY
REPATRIATION OPTION IN FACE OF PRESSURE FROM UNOFFICIALS BUT WE
MUST MAKE CLEAR THAT IT IS NOT A VIABLE ONE HERE. OUR ASSESSMENT,
CONFIRMED BY LORD BELSTEAD, IS THAT IT WOULD BE UNACCEPTABLE TO
PARLIAMENT. EVEN IF MANY HAVE FLED VIETNAM FOR ECONOMIC RATHER
THAN POLITICAL REASONS WE MUST EXPECT THEM TO SUFFER POLITICALLY
IF THEY ARE FORCIBLY REPATRIATED. WHILE THE INCREASE IN PURELY
ECONOMIC MOTIVES FOR FLEEING MAY SUGGEST THAT WE SHOULD DO ALL
WE CAN TO DISCOURAGE FURTHER EMIGRATION OF THAT KIND, ONCE THEY
HAVE BECOME BOAT PEOPLE THEY ARE BY DEFINITION REFUGEES IN PERIL
OF REPRISALS IF RETURNED. WE FEAR THEREFORE THAT THE CONCERTED
APPROACH YOU SUGGEST WOULD NOT BE WORTHWHILE. AN ADDED FACTOR IS
THAT WE ARE UNIQUELY ILL-PLACED TO ORCHESTRATE SUCH AN APPROACH
GIVEN THE CHILL IN OUR RELATIONS WITH HANOI THAT WE ACCEPT AS THE
INEVITABLE CONSEQUENCE OF OUR HARD LINE ON EG AID TO VIETNAM.
WE ARE PARTICULARLY SURPRISED THAT YOU ARE CONTEMPLATING
REPATRIATION OF MINORS (PARA 6 OF TUR) (UNLESS YOU MEAN THAT THEY
ARE ALL VOLUNTEERS). AS WITH THE THREE MINORS LAST YEAR - FCO
TELNO 856 OF 1981 - THERE COULD BE NO QUESTION OF REPATRIATION
AGAINST WISHES OF CHILDREN THEMSELVES, UNLESS THERE WERE VERY
COMPELLING ARGUMENTS (EG IN THE CASE OF VERY YOUNG CHILDREN WHO
MIGHT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO HONG KONG BY OTHER RELATIONS). WE
SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR DETAILS OF ANY PROPOSALS OF THIS SORT.
See
[22]
(144)
PYM
LIMITED
HK&GD
SEAD
UND
NEWS D
PS
PS/LORD BELSTEAD PS/MR RIFKIND
PS/PUS MR GIFFARD MR DONALD
COPIES TO: HK GO
1
CONFIDENTIAL
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