TNAG-1274-FCO40-1624-Vietnamese-refugees-in-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 260

CONFIDENTIAL

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TO VIETNAM.

UNHCR OFFICIALS STILL REGARD THEM AS REFUGEES.

THE REFUGEES WOULD CERTAINLY BE ECONOMICALLY PREJUDICED IF NOT

WORSE IF THEY WERE SENT BACK (VIETNAM'S HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD IS

NOT ENCOURAGING).AND WE JUDGE THAT IT WOULD BE POLITICALLY UNACCEP-

TABLE HERE. VOLUNTARY RETURNS HAVE, UNDERSTANDABLY, BEEN FEW

AND FAR BETWEEN. WE OF COURSE CONTINUE TO PRESS, WITH OTHERS,

FOR ACCELERATION OF THE ORDERLY DEPARTURE PROGRAMME THOUGH WE

ACCEPT THAT THIS WILL NOT IN ITSELF RELIEVE THE PRESSURE TO FLEE

BY BOAT. BUT WITHOUT THAT PROGRAMME, IT WOULD OF COURSE BE

INAPPROPRIATE TO PRESS THE VIETNAMESE TO DO ANYTHING TO LIMIT

THE FLOW OF BOAT-PEOPLE.

5 HONG KONG IS NOW CAUGHT BETWEEN THE CONTINUING EXODUS AND THE

INCREASING RELUCTANCE OF OTHER STATES TO PROVIDE RESETTLEMENT

PLACES. SINCE JULY LAST YEAR NEW ARRIVALS HAVE BEEN KEPT IN

CLOSED CAMPS AND ARE DISCOURAGED FROM EXPECTING ANY RAPID

RESETTLEMENT. BUT ARRIVALS SO FAR THIS SEASON SUGGEST IT IS

HAVING ONLY A LIMITED EFFECT IN DETERRING ASYLUM-SEEKERS.

CAMP FACILITIES ARE EXPENSIVE AND MORE WILL HAVE TO BE MADE

AVAILABLE BEFORE THE END OF THIS YEAR IF CURRENT ARRIVALS

CONTINUE.

CLOSED

6 UNHCR OFFICIALS TEND TO TAKE THE VIEW THAT THE FLOW IS

DRYING UP. THIS IS MUCH LESS, IF AT ALL, THE CASE WITH THOSE

SETTING OUT FOR HONG KONG RATHER THAN OTHER DESTINATIONS.

ANYWAY MUCH DEPENDS ON FUTURE VIETNAMESE DECISIONS OVER

ORDERLY DEPARTURE, ON SECURITY, AND ON ECONOMIC POLICY. EVEN SO, LIKE ALL OTHER FIRST ASYLUM COUNTRIES IN THE REGION HONG

KONG WOULD LIKE SOME ASSURANCE THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY THEY

WILL NOT BE LEFT WITH A RESIDUE OF UNRESETTLED REFUGEES. AS

WELL AS GIVING FIRST ASYLUM, HONG KONG HAS ALSO SINCE 1975

RESETTLED 14,000 VIETNAMESE REFUGEES ON HER OWN TERRITORY.

7 MEANWHILE WE SHOULD ALSO LIKE ANY COUNTRIES WITH RESETTLEMENT

PROGRAMMES TO DO ANYTHING THEY CAN TO SUSTAIN A REASONABLE

OFFTAKE AND KEEP HONG KONG'S CURRENT BURDEN WITHIN MANAGEABLE

LIMITS. CLEARLY THIS WILL BE DIFFICULT IF BOAT-PEOPLE ARE

REGARDED AS REFUGEES WHEN THEY REACH PORTS OF FIRST ASYLUM (EG

HONG KONG), BUT ARE THEN, INCREASINGLY, DEEMED INELIGIBLE FOR

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CONFIDENTIAL