TNAG-1273-FCO40-1623-Vietnamese-refugees-in-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 63

HKK 243/5

44-

39

48

DESK OFFICER

HICK

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

12 MAY 1983

REGISTRY

2431

See

(44)

INDEX

PA

Action Taken

(45

CONFIDENTIAL.

W

AFRS

Also HKCK 243/5

PA

GRS 392

CONFIDENTIAL

DESKBY 110200Z

FM FCO 101130Z MAY

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 444 OF 10 MAY 1983

FOR JEAFFRESON FROM CLIFT

$

YOUR TELNOS 639 AND 655 VIETNAMESE REFUGEES

IF ANYONE ASKS A QUESTION ABOUT FORCIBLE REPATRIATION IN

THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL YOU SHOULD NOT (NOT) SAY THAT IT IS STILL

UNDER CONSIDERATION AS AN OPTION. AS WE REPORTED IN FCO

TELNO 334 OF 7 APRIL,

THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAS CONCLUDED THAT THERE

SHOULD BE NO APPROACH TO THE VIETNAMESE ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF INVOLUNTARY REPATRIATION.

2.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAS NOW CONSIDERED THE OPTIONS OUTLINED IN MY FCONO 334 AND HAS AGREED THAT WE SHOULD PURSUE THE POSSIBILITY OF A MULTILATERAL APPROACH TO THE VIETNAMESE AIMED

AT STOPPING THE OUTFLOW. TELEGRAMS OF INSTRUCTION (NUMBERS 125 TO UKMIS GENEVA AND 770 TO WASHINGTON) HAVE BEEN COPIED TO YOU FOR INFORMATION.

3. SHOULD IT BE NECESSARY TO REFER TO THESE INSTRUCTIONS IN LEGCO ON 11 MAY, YOU SHOULD BEAR IN MIND THAT POSTS MAY NOT HAVE ACTED ON THEM WHEN YOU MAKE A PUBLIC STATEMENT.

WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL THEREFORE IF YOU CONFINE YOUR REMARKS TO A GENERAL COMMENT ALONG THE FOLLOWING LINES. QUOTE

THE QUESTION OF REPATRIATION HAS BEEN DISCUSSED AT LENGTH BETWEEN HKG AND HMG. BECAUSE OF THE HUMANITARIAN CONSIDERATIONS AND LEGAL DIFFICULTIES, THE OPTION OF PURSUING FORCIBLE REPATRIATION TO VIETNAM IN PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES COULD NOT BE JUSTIFIED.

IN SEEKING TO COPE WITH THE LONG TERM PROBLEMS POSED BY VIETNAMESE REFUGEES WE ARE LOOKING AT FURTHER WAYS OF ENCOURAGING THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES TO INCREASE THE RATE OF ORDERLY DEPARTURE

AND REDUCE THE NUMBERS SEEKING ASYLUM BY SEA. HMG IS URGENTLY CONSULTING OTHER GOVERNMENTS AND UNHCR TO THIS END. WE CONTINUE,

OF

1

CONFIDENTIAL

S.