A
BACKGROUND
REPATRIATION
CONFIDENTIAL
1.
Hong Kong requested earlier this year that HMA Hanoi
should be instructed to discuss with the Vietnamese the
possibility of forcible repatriation of boat people arriving in
Hong Kong. The Secretary of State considered this but did not
agree to it. The telegram to Hong Kong reporting this is at
Flag A. Since then Hong Kong Government officials have continued to suggest that repatriation is a option that may be pursued. We have reiterated to them that they should not make
statements of this kind. But as recently as 16 May a Government official said publicly that after a certain date to be announced, economic migrants would be repatriated and only genuine refugees would be permitted to stay. We accept the UNHCR view that all boat people are refugees and we cannot therefore go along with this type of distinction. We need to
ensure that there are no more public statements of this kind.
MULTILATERAL APPROACH
B C
DEF G
2.
The Secretary of State suggested as a way of helping Hong Kong a multilateral approach aimed at stopping the outflow from
Vietnam. Telegrams instructing posts to approach their host. Governments were recently sent. The responses of other Governments have been mixed. By and large they are sceptical of the merits of a joint approach. The key response, that of the US Government, is still not in. The Minister at Washington was due to speak to Mr Douglas, Roving Ambassador for Refugee Affairs, on 19 May. If the American response is at all encouraging we should certainly consider going back to other Governments with definite proposals for an approach to the
Vietnamese.
CONFIDENTIAL
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