TNAG-1274-FCO40-1624-Vietnamese-refugees-in-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 63

HI COMREF

HONGKONG

PRIMO:

PROPOSAL BY HONG KONG AUTHORITIES HAS BEEN SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED

BY HEADQUARTERS AND SHALL BE PLEASED IF YOU WILL CONVEY TO AUTHORITIES

OUR PRELIMINARY VIEWS ON THIS SUBJECT.

SECUNDO: PRIOR TO CONSIDERING A PROCEDURE FOR INDIVIDUAL DETERMINATION, NECESSARY TO RECALL RATIONALE FOR APPROACE CURRENTLY APPLIED IN REGARD TO

VIETNAMESE AND OTHER INDO-CHINESE ASYLUM SEEKERS. THIS APPROACH BASED ON

EVENTS WEIC OCCURRED IN VIETNAM AND OTHER INDO-CHINESE COUNTRIES IN 1975 AND THE RESULTING GENERAL CONDITIONS PREVAZING IN THESE COUNTRIES WHICH INCLUDED, PARTICULARLY IN THE CASE OF VIETNAM, INABILITY TO RETURN IN A REGULAR MANNER AND POSSIBLY SERICUS CONSEQUENCES IN RESPECT OF UNLAWFUL DEPARTURE. MOREOVER, THE VERY CONSIDERABLE NUMBER OF PERSONS INVOLVED

PRECLUDED DETERMINATION OF REFUGEE STATUS CN AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS.

THUS,

IN KEEPING WITH THE OFFICE'S POLICY IN LARGE-SCALE INFLUX SITUATIONS, A

PRIMA FACIE GROUP DETERMINATION WAS MADE FOR VIETNAMESE BOAT AND LAND CASES

AND ALSO FOR KAMPUCHEANS AND LAOTIANS.

i

TERTIO:

IT IS CORRECT THAT THERE HAS BEEN A SHARP DECLINE IN THE NUMBER.

OF VIETNAMESE ASYLUM SEEKERS FROM THE 1979 PEAK WHICH WOULD

Text continued