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nt
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO DESKBY 10010OZ HONG KONG
TELNO 1495
OF 091545Z JUNE 88
HKD 243/8
CONFIDENTIAL
་
271
121303
MDHOAN 7843
COP DIST ?
OUR THIRD IPT: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: CHANGE OF POLICY
DRAFT SPEAKING NOTE FOR USE WITH VIETNAM.
2. (A) INCREASING FLOW OF ILLEGAL DEPARTURES FROM VIETNAM
CREATING AN INTOLERABLE BURDEN FOR HONG KONG. TOTAL NUMBERS IN HONG KONG NOW OVER 15,000 (6 JUNE) COMPARED WITH ABOUT 8,UOO ONE YEAR AGO. OVER 6,000 ARRIVALS THIS YEAR.
(B) OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF RECENT ARRIVALS ARE ORDINARY VIETNAMESE SEEKING A BETTER LIFE, BUT THE FACT IS THAT THERE IS NO REALISTIC POSSIBILITY OF THEIR BEING RESETTLED. THE
WELL-BEING OF SUCH PEOPLE SHOULD BE THE RESPONSIBLITY OF THE
VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT. IT IS ONLY RIGHT THAT THEIR FUTURE SHOULD
BE IN VIETNAM.
(C) ONLY LONG-TERM SOLUTION IS REPATRIATION IN LINE WITH
ARRANGEMENTS FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES.
BOAT
(D) AS FROM 16 JUNE HONG KONG WILL ADOPT A NEW POLICY.
PEOPLE ARRIVING FROM VIETNAM WILL BE TREATED ON ARRIVAL AS
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. ALL EXCEPT THOSE LATER IDENTIFIED AS GENUINE
REFUGEES WILL BE DETAINED WITHOUT ACCESS TO RESETTLEMENT PENDING
ARRANGEMENTS FOR THEIR REPATRIATION TO VIETNAM.
(E) URGE VIETNAM TO INCREASE EFFORTS TO STEM THE
UNCONTROLLED DEPARTURES WITH ALL THE RISKS TO LIFE
FUTURE THEY INVOLVE.
(F) URGE VIETNAN TO ACCEPT THE REPATRIATION OF
AND TO GIVE ASSURANCES THAT THEY WILL BE HUMANELY
RETURN.
FLOW OF
AND UNCERTAIN
NON-REFUGEES
TREATED ON
(G) URGE VIETNAM TO COOPERATE BY PUBLICISING IN VIETNAM CHANGE
OF POLICY.
(H) SECRETARY OF STATE'S MEETING WITH CO THACH IN NEW YORK
WELCOME CO THACH'S WILLINGNESS TO LISTEN TO THE PROBLEM AND TO
CONSIDER ARRANGEMENTS INVOLVING RETURN OF THOSE WHO ARE NOT REFUGEES.
HOWE
YYYY
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