CONFIDENTIAL
134662
MDLIAN 7466
BOAT PEOPLE WERE ECONOMIC MIGRANTS NOT REFUGEES. ESSENTIAL TO
DETER THESE ARRIVALS WHO WERE IN PRACTICE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.
AND NEEDED TO BE RECOGNISED AND TREATED SAS SUCH. HONG KONG THEREFORE FORCED TO ADOPT NEW POLICY FROM 16 JUNE, WHICH SCREENED ALL ARRIVALS INTO GENUINE REFUGEES OR ILLEAL IMMIGRANTS.
THOSE FOUND TO BE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WILL NOT BE PROCESSED FOR RESETTLEMENT ELSEWHERE, AND WILL BE DEA// DETAINED PENDING RETURN
TO VIETNAM.
7.
INTEREST
VIETNAM NOT ONLY HAS THE MAIN RESPONSIBILITY BUT ALSO
IN STOPPING OUTFLOW. URGENT ACTION NEEDED TO ACHIEVE THIS.
SEE TWO WAYS:
WE
(A)
(B)
8。
EFFECTIVE MEASURES TO PREVET EXIT. THIS IS OF KEY IMPORTANCE
TO US. HONG KONG SIMPLY CANNOT TAKE ANY MORE AND MUST KNOW
THAT THE OUTFLOW WILL NOT GO ON. ESSENTIAL PART OF ANY AGREEMENT.
INFORMATION WORK TO SPREAD MESSAGE THAT THERE IS NO PROSPECT OF RESETTLEMENT NOW TO UNITED STATES OR ANY OTHER COUNTRY
FOR NEW ARRIVALS IN HONG KONG.
A SK VIETNAMESE HELP IN PUBLICISING HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S POLICY. WE HAVE TEXTS OF MESSAGES WHICH COULD BE GIVEN TO LCAL
AUTHORITIES, PRESS AND RADIO EXPLAINING WHY THERE IS NO POINT
IN GOING TO HONG KONG. ALSO HAVE A TAPED MESSAGE IN VIETNAMESE.
WILL HAND OVER AFTER MEETING. CAN ALSO PROVIDE DETAILS OF PLACES
OF ORIGIN AND PORTS OF DEPARTURE OF LATEST ARRIVALS TO ASSIST
IN MEASURES TO STOP FUTURE DEPARTURES.
9.
NEXT STEP TO AGREE ON ARRANGEMENTS FOR RETURN OF ALL THOSE
DETAINED AS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. ESSENTIAL BECAUSE:
(A) THEY ARE VIETNAMESE. THEY CANNOT REMAIN IN HONG KONG. BY
LAW MUST BE REPATRIATED. PRESENCE THERE CREATES VERY BAD
IMPRESSION OF VIETNAM TO THE WORLD: UNANIMOUS VIEW AT
DISCUSSION ON ODP IN MAY/JUNE.
(B)
MOST EFFECTIVE DETERRENT AGAINST FUTURE DEPARTURES IS
RETURN OF BOAT PEOPLE. THIS NEEDS TO START VERY SOON.
10. READY TO DISCUSS MODALITIES.
HAVE PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS
FOR METHODS OF RETRN. REALISE MUST BE ORDERLY AND PHASED PROGRAMME OF RETURN.
11. HONG KONG GOVERNMENT READY TO CO-OPERATE IN ORGANISING
GROUPS FOR RETURN AND IN PROVIDING STAFF TO ACCOMPANY THEM.
IMMIGRATION STAFF COULD HELP IN PROCESS OF HANDING OVER BOAT
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