TNAG-1279-FCO40-1630-Repatriation-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 23

PS/Lord Belstead

CONFIDENTIAL

29/3 33

Sees?

See (32 35

ACK 243/5

6.51

APR 1983

Vietnamese Refugees in Hong Kong

The Secretary of State has seen Lord Belstead's minute(32) of 21 March and the draft telegram to Hanoi. He is not persuaded of the merits of this approach. We are most unlikely to get any satisfactory assurances out of the Vietnamese, while the risk of a leak, which will put us in the doghouse publicly even if we have in practice taken no decisions on involuntary repatriation, is high. The Secretary of State is not therefore in favour of approaching the Vietnamese government along the lines suggested. However he is well aware of the seriousness of the problem for Hong Kong and the need to be seen to be doing something about the problem. He therefore wonders whether there is not some way in which we can demonstrate our concern without involving ourselves in the minefield of repatriation. He wonders whether the best approach might be a multilateral one. Is there any possibility of some kind of multilateral initiative aimed at stopping the outflow from Vietnam. Even if the chances of success are slim, nevertheless this would be a public demonstration of our desire to help. Alternatively is there any possibility of Hong Kong declaring its intention of refusing new arrivals entry ie being prepared to accept boats temporarily and reprovision them but not any kind of landing?

28 March, 1983

4. Holmes

(J E Holmes)

Copied to PS/PUs, M. Dunal), SEAD, UND, dr. Brrows + dr. Roberts, News D-

CONFIDENTIAL