TNAG-1789-FCO40-2549-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-general-1989 — Page 254

Background

1.

There are now about 25,000 Vietnamese boat people in Hong Kong,

compared with a low of less than 8,000 last year. This year 17,500

have arrived. On 16 Junbe a new policy was introduced, under which

arrivals were screened to establish whether they met the established

criteria to be considered as political refugees. 9,5000 boat

people have arrived since that date. However, arrivals have now

dwindled to a trickle, with only 22 in the month since 13 September.

Some decrease is normal in the autumn, but this low number is

exceptional and indicates that the Vietnamese may have taken

measures to stem the outflow.

2. FCO, Hong Kong Government and Vietnamese officials held a

second round of talks in London on 11-12 October. The main elements

to emerge from the meeting were the following:

(a)

(b)

(c)

the Vietnamese assured us that they wer determined to stop departures from Vietnam by boat;

the two sides agreed on the need for comprehensive arrangements for all arrivals who, under Hong Kong's new policy, do not qualify as refugees for resettlement;

the two sides agreed to make an early start with the return of those (now over 350) who have already asked to go back to

Vietnam;

(a)

(e)

3.

the two sides agreed that UNHCR was the appropriate agency to arrange a humanitarian repatriation programme, which would include modest reintegration assistance;

we confirmed that we were ready in principle to contribute to such a programme through UNHCR.

This result marks a step forward towards an overall agreement. they key provison is Vietnam's acceptance of the need for

comprehensive arrangements.

We made it clear to the Vietnamese that