TNAG-1523-FCO40-2087-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-Sub-Committee-on-Race-Relations-and--1986 — Page 105

SCORRI ра

PAR PL

Quemin 2 (28)

REPLY BY THE HON. MR. MICHAEL THOMAS, C.M.G., Q.C., ATTORNEY GENERAL

1KK 243/1

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

20 JAN1986

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PAQUESTION aken

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TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN

THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEETING OF 8 JANUARY, 1986

Will Government take steps through the appropriate channels to negotiate with the Vietnamese Authorities to accept the repatriation of refugees coming to Hong Kong in the future?

REPLY

The Hong Kong Government has no diplomatic status

Such negotiations

to negotiate with the Vietnamese Government.

could only be initiated through Her Majesty's Government.

2.

The general situation is that negotiations with the Vietnamese Government on voluntary repatriation are undertaken by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees. Voluntary repatriation is regarded by the UNHCR as the most desirable solution to refugee problems.

3.

However, an essential ingredient for voluntary

repatriation is volunteers.

Since 1975, out of the 110,000

refugees who have come to Hong Kong only 22 have asked to return to Vietnam. Only 14 of these 22 have actually returned. We and the UNHCR have been awaiting a reply from the Vietnamese Government since 1983 on whether it is

prepared to accept the remaining eight.

4.

This causes us to doubt whether voluntary repatriation on a large scale is likely to be feasible in the foreseeable future.

5. As regards

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