TNAG-1507-FCO40-2065-Guangdong-nuclear-power-station-project-at-Daya-Bay-safety-c-1986 — Page 55

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illiterate) the options were repatriation or staying in Thailand. There were limited prospects for the return of some people (especially children and the elderly) to Cambodia and Laos; if repatriation to these countries proved possible the prospect of repatriation to Vietnam could also be discussed. Funding internal programmes would be a necessary part of a package of a political solution and/or repatriation.

3. The Secretary of State expressed concern over Hong Kong, where the inability of resettlement to keep pace with arrivals was causing real problems. He found it hard to find a position of principle in relation to recognition of the right of Vietnamese to be received elsewhere, given that conditions in Vietnam were probably no worse than the China of former days or North Korea. This lay behind the

policy of humane but discouraging reception. He noted that there seemed a growing economic motivation. M. Hocké said there had been

a decrease in refugee arrivals in the area but a simultaneous decrease in the number of resettlement places; he acknowledged that there might have been an increase of numbers in Hong Kong. He did not consider in general that asylum-seekers were motivated primarily by economic considerations; even where arrivals were not "full"

refugees, there was an element of pressure if not actual persecution in their treatment in Vietnam (eg enforced change of residence or

occupation, no education for their children).

4.

On closed camps, M. Hocké said he was not sure the programme was having the desired effect, in that arrivals continued to increase.

There was also a danger that long-stayers in closed camps would find it increasingly difficult to readjust to open society. Action was needed to stem the flow by addressing the problems in exporting countries. On resettlement, he indicated that other resettlement

countries would expect substantial movement from HMG in the way of additional intake into the UK before increasing their own quota intake from Hong Kong. New quota arrangements were in prospect in these countries and if UK agreed a good figure he expected to get

more from others.

U32ABO

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