RO ZADW
HUD 243/8 ния
FILE
CALL ON MR ROBIN MCLAREN, ASSISTANT UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE BY
H.E. TRAN VAN HUNG, AMBASSADOR OF THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM
141
SPEAKING NOTE
1. I wish to draw your attention to para 8 of the Joint Declaration by EC/ASEAN Foreign Ministers at their recent meeting, dealing with Indo-Chinese refugees. (Hand over text.) You will note that the Ministers expressed serious concern about the flow of boat people from Vietnam; stated that Vietnam should co-operate with others to find a solution; and urged Vietnam to accept the return, subject to satisfactory guarantees, of those who do not meet the agreed criteria for refugee status.
2. HMG are seriously concerned at the deteriorating situation in Hong Kong. There have been nearly 3,000 arrivals in Hong Kong this year, 6 times as many as in the same period last year. In last month alone there were well over 1,000 arrivals. In May there has been an average of 120 arivals each day. The boat people population in Hong Kong is now over 11,700 compared with about 7,600 in mid-1987.
3.
Continued illegal departures from Vietnam are placing an increasing burden on places of first asylum. This is bad for Vietnam's image, and has a negative effect on Vietnam's relations with regional and other governments. It is in Vietnam's own interest to take effective steps to stop the illegal outflow, and to address the problems this outflow has created for others.
4. We are pleased to note that Orderly Departure Programmes are now working more smoothly. This should help to reduce illegal departures. We also welcome Vietnam's recent decision to accept the return of four voluntary repatriation cases from Hong Kong. But Vietnam needs to do more:
we urge you to take vigorous action to reduce illegal departures - we urge you to process voluntary return cases rapidly. You still have one case from Hong Kong which has been outstanding since 1985. Recently 12 new cases have been put forward by UNHCR. (Hand over
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