TNAG-1392-FCO40-1864-Future-of-Hong-Kong-briefing-for-meetings-and-visits-1985 — Page 164

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stuck with a growing number

number of economic migrants with по prospect of

resettlement;

(b) a tougher regime than that now applied in the closed centres might be needed to control those facing the prospect of ultimate repatriation or very long confinement;

(c) resettlement countries might take advantage of a reduction in the "refugee" population to scale down further their level of offtake from Hong Kong;

(d) unless the refugees were

due trial and

conviction in

would still be in breach

of

imprisoned as illegal immigrants after

the Courts of Hong Kong, this scheme

Article 9 of the International Covenant

on Civil and Political Rights.

23.

•

has

But

himself proposed such a

UNHCR's support would be needed. They have not been consulted officially. Hong Kong believe that UNHCR would welcome such a step towards application of a more correct definition of refugee status, over which they would have control; UNHCR would also be able to

evade responsibility for those not identified as refugees.

although one senior UNHCR official

scheme informally, UKMIS Geneva are clear that Mr senior officials would be opposed to it, and that be UNHCR policy. Indeed, in 1984 when Hong Kong detained as illegal immigrants 13 Iranians who had arrived with forged passports, UNHCR requested that they should be granted refugee status in Hong Kong

because they could not be returned either to Pakistan or Iran.

24.

that

the

in

Hartling and other

this i s likely to

January (see para 19 above) the

At their discussion on 15

Executive Council advised

the absence of a programme of involuntary repatriation,

screening proposals should not be

implemented. However they

recommended that the proposals should be

kept under review. During his call on Mr Luce on 27 February, Ambassador Douglas, US Coordinator for Refugee Affairs, mentioned

similar scheme whereby from a certain date all Vietnamese refugee

resettlement processing in the region would cease and new arrivals

would thereafter be held on a remote Pacific island pending eventual

return to Vietnam. Subsequent soundings of the US State Department

a

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