TNAG-1534-FCO40-2098-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation-1986 — Page 162

CONFIDENTIAL

41966

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3. SEPARATELY, WE WERE INVITED TO LUNCH BY THE CANADIAN IMMIGRATION

OFFICIALS HERE. AFTER A BRIEF DISCUSSION ON THE PRESENT ARRIVAL

AND DEPARTURE RATE, WE WERE ASKED WHAT WE WOULD DO IF, SAY,

FILIPINOS ARRIVED IN BOATS SEEKING TO LAND IN HONG KONG.

THE CANADIANS ANSWERED THEIR OWN QUESTION BY SUGGESTING THAT WE

WOULD RETURN THEM TO THE PHILIPPINES. WE AGREED. THEY THEN ASKED

WHETHER WE HAD CONSIDERED INVOLNTARY REPATRIATION ANY FURTHER.

WE EXPLAINED THAT WE WERE CONSTANTLY CONSIDERING A WIDE RANGE

OF OPTIONS AND ASKED WHAT THE CANADIANS VIEW WOULD BE IF HONG KONG

WERE TO PROPOSE INVOLUNTARY REPATRIATION. THEY SAID THAT THEW WOULD

ENCOURAGE DISCUSSION OF THIS SUBJECT. THEY SAID THAT THE

INTERNATIONAL PRESUMPTION IN 1979 THAT ALL THOSE LEAVING VIETNAM

BY BOAT WERE REFUGEES HAD TO BE REEXAMINED. THEY SAID THAT THIS

COULD BEST BE DONE AT AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE. THEY SAID THAT

IT MIGHT BE EVEN BETTER TO DISCUSS THIS AT A REGIONAL

CONFERENCE. THEY FELT STRONGLY THAT THE ISSUE SHOULD BE DISCUSSED

OPENLY.

4. WE RAISED THIS SUBJECT WITH THE AUSTRALIANS AT A RECEPTION.

THE SECRETARY FOR MIGRATION AND ETHNIC AFFAIRS SAID THE HE PERSON-

ALLY FAVOURED THE IDEA BUT HE DID NOT THINK THE AUSTRALIAN

GOVERNMENT WOULD GIVE IT SUPPORT PUBLICLY.

HOWE

OCMIAN 1966

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CONFIDENTIAL