CONFIDENTIAL
TOP COPY Q DIST 7
030255 MDLIAN 8456
ния 243/18
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 1894
OF 19034OZ MAY 88
INFO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA, HANOI
REPATRIATION TO VIETNAM
fau
REF HANOI TELNO 101 THE UNHCR'S HONG KONG OFFICE ARE DOING ALL THEY CAN TO PERSUADE THE BUIS TO RETURN TO VIETNAM.
2. THIS CASE HAS LEAD US TO THINK THAT TREATING THIS GROUP AS REFUGEES SEEKING VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION WAS NOT THE CORRECT APPROACH. ON THE BASIS OF THEIR OWN STORIES THIS GROUP WERE NOT INITIALLY SEEKING ASYLUM. YOU WILL RECALL THAT THEY CLAIMED TO HAVE BEEN FORCED TO COME TO HONG KONG BY OTHERS TO TAKE OVER THEIR BOAT AND FORCES THEM TO SAIL TO HONG KONG.
3. UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES WE WONDER WHETHER THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN CLASSIFIED AS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AT THE OUTSET AND ARRANGEMENTS MADE FOR THEIR RETURN TO VIETNAM VIA DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS WITHOUT REFERENCE TO UNHCR. WE APPRECIATE THE LIKELY SNAGS BUT SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR AND HANOI'S VIEWS ON THE LIKELY EFFECTIVENESS OF SUCH AN APPROACH, IN THE EVENT THAT A SIMILAR CASE OCCURS IN FUTURE.
WILSON
YYYY
DISTRIBUTION
121
ΜΑΙΝ
118
.VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HK
ECD (E)
LIMITED
SPD
HKD
FED
SEAD
NEWS
UND
LEGAL ADVISERS
WED
SED
PS/LORD GLENARTHUR
PS MR EGGAR
PS/PUS
MR GILLMORE
PAGE
1
CONFIDENTIAL
179
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.