TNAG-1795-FCO40-2555-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 96

CONFIDENTIAL

151736

MDHIAN 9963

SOON

(IV) REPATRIATION SHOULD BE STARTED AS SOON AS AN ACCEPTABLE

ARRANGEMENT WAS AGREED AND THAT IT SHOULD BE IN PHASES:

(V) SOME KIND OF LIMITED FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO HELP RESETTLEMENT

OF RETURNEES MIGHT BE NECESSARY ALTHOUGH NO COMMITMENT WAS GIVEN ON

THIS:

(VI) HMG/HKG WOULD PROVIDE LISTS OF VIETNAMESE IIS WHO WERE TO BE

REPATRIATED FOR CHECKING BY THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES:

(VII) PEOPLE WHO WERE REPATRIATED WOULD BE TREATED HUMANELY AND WOULD

NOT BE SUBJECT TO REPRISALS OR PERSECUTION: AND

(VIIIL REPATRIATION BY AIR OR BY SEA WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE.

10. THE POINTS ON WHICH AGREEMENT HAS YET TO BE REACHED ARE:

(I) VOLUNTARY OR INVOLUNTARY REPATRIATION:

(II) THE INVOLVEMENT OF VIETNAMESE OFFICIALS IN THE REPATRIATION

ARRANGEMENTS IN HONG KONG:

(III) WHETHER AND IF SO HOW FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE WOULD BE PROVIDED.

ASSESSMENT

·

11 THE FIRST ROUND OF TALKS WAS SUCCESSFUL IN THAT WE CLEARED THE

GROUND FOR FUTURE CONTACTS AND DEFINED THE MAJOR ISSUES TO BE RESOLVED. WE TAKE ENCOURAGEMENT FROM THE FACT THE VIETNAMESE HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM AND THAT AN EFFECTIVE SOLUTION

IS NEEDED URGENTLY.

12. WE JUDGE THAT THE VIETNAMESE MAY BE PREPARED TO NEGOTIATE

FURTHER ON THE ISSUE OF VOLUNTARY OR INVOLUNTARY REPATRIATION. THEY

ARE LOOKING FOR SOME SORT OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. THEY HAVE

ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THIS SHOULD BE DIRECTLY LINKED TO RESETTLEMENT OF

RETURNEES. WE WOULD ONLY BE READY TO CONTEMPLATE ASSISTANCE OF THIS

SORT IF WE OBTAINED A PACKAGE WHICH MET OUR REQUIREMENTS ON THE

RETURN OF THOSE SCREENED OUT AS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. WE WILL NOT

PROVIDE ANY SORT OF DEVELOPMENTAL ASSISTANCE.

13. VIETNAMESE ACCEPTANCE THAT PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE SUBJECTED TO SEVERE PUNISHMENT ON RETURN IS IMPORTANT. WE SHALL BE LOOKING AT

FURTHER ASSURANCES ON THIS. WE HOPE THE UNHCR WILL BE READY TO HELP

3

PAGE

CONFIDENTIAL

2