TNAG-1274-FCO40-1624-Vietnamese-refugees-in-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 295

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assu ces from the Vietnamese that returned

refugees would not be punished.

3. However, we recognise that the majority of

Vietnamese currently in Hong Kong do not fit into

the traditional category of refugees, and that

resettlement countries, in particular the Americans

are classifying many as economic migrants, in the

belief that they leave Vietnam in order to seek

greater prosperity rather than through fear of

political persecution. Ambassador Douglas's

remarks (para 1 of Washington telno 1408)

underline this. The Hong Kong Government are

therefore placed in the situation whereby they

are required to treat arriving boat people as

refugees, but are unable to resettle them because

others consider them to be economic migrants.

UNHCR seem to be aware of this situation (para 2

of your TUR) but we wish to bring the implications

of it more directly to their attention.

were

4. If the boat people are really economic

migrants, it would on the face of it be justifiable for Hong Kong

to treat them as illegal immigrants, and explore

the possibility of Usafe repatriation!!, However,

if as we believe, they would be subject to

persecution on return to Vietnam, they are de facto

refugees and must be treated as such by

resettlement countries.

5. You should therefore approach UNHCR along

the following lines:

(a)

thank them for their helpful response,

outlined in your TUR;

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/(b)

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