TNAG-1279-FCO40-1630-Repatriation-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 64

Mr Burns

SEAD

cc: Mr Williams, UND

CONFIDENTIAL

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG

14

pa (Repatriation). See 17

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HKK 243/5

TRCEIVED IN KRISPY NO. 51 2 3 FEB 1983

INDEX

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REGISTRY

Action Taken

Сназр

1. I have seen Mr Pike's report by teleletter of his meeting with Co Thach, and also his response to our request for an assessment of likely Vietnamese attitudes on repatriation of Vietnamese from Hong Kong (Hanoi telegram number 37). I assume you will be submitting on Hanoi's views to the Secretary of State. But I think we should look beyond this should repatriation be a non-starter.

2.

If this were the case it would leave Hong Kong convinced that they are stuck with almost 13,000 refugees whom they cannot settle elsewhere, with more on the way. I am a little concerned that if resettlement opportunities continue to be limited, and in particular if the summer brings an increase in numbers arriving in Hong Kong, then our relations with Hong Kong will become seriously strained over the matter (there have already been hints of the need to turn boats away).

3. Only if we explore fully every possibility that might help Hong Kong and be seen to do so, can we either improve the situation, or, failing that, bring it home to them that Vietnamese refugees are a problem that they must live with for a while yet.

4.

As you know, part of the problem for Hong Kong is that the US INS are now making a distinction between economic migrants and refugees, with the result that the Americans refuse to take 90% of applications from Hong Kong because they do not consider them to be refugees, but Hong Kong is restrained in its treatment of them by the fact that UNHCR does consider them to be refugees. Thus Hong Kong is being caught between two stools. Any challenge by us to UNHCR on their definition of those presently leaving Vietnam could rebound on us. If the UNHCR were to deny them refugee status on the grounds that they were economic migrants, this would only prompt Hong Kong to press even more strongly for their repatriation. In the absence of any satisfactory assurances from Hanoi that returnees would not be punished it would still be politically very difficult for HMG to sanction repatriation by Hong Kong; this would not help our relations with Hong Kong. The only other way which I can think of is for us to press the UNHCR to bring pressure on the Americans to treat the refugees as refugees and not economic migrants.

CONFIDENTIAL

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