TNAG-1527-FCO40-2091-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-general-1986 — Page 72

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We do not know whether the voluntary departure cases are rescued at sea. We do know that in excess of 1,000 people left Hong Kong last year but only 86 have been accounted for. We do not know what has happened to the rest. It is possible that some have been lost at sea,but it seems unlikely that all have. When I suggested to Beyer that some might have landed in the Philippines and gone underground, he denied it vigorously. There is a large Chinese community in the Philippines and it is possible that some ex-China cases have made contact with them prior to their departure from China. I have discussed this possibility with Nick Thorne in Manila, but he also thought it unlikely. Nevertheless, we are left with the question what has happened to the remaining voluntary departure cases?

I have asked the UNHCR to check whether any of the voluntary departure cases have surfaced as ship rescue cases. I will let you know the result in due course.

The number of voluntary departure cases has reduced. We have spoken to NCNA and passed over information which we have received about large-scale illegal departures of Vietnamese refugees. We think that some effort has been made to control this matter, but, given the numbers involved and the large coastline, it is unlikely that it can be stopped entirely.

Of much more concern to us is the significant increase in arrivals and the even more disturbing high proportion of refugees from North Vietnam.

cc: Mr N. A. Thorne, British Embassy, Manila

y

ours

Ken

(K. J. Woodhouse)

for Secretary for Security.

8.5.

Good luck in

Paris. Allez Leeks alleg!

K.