Mr Hum
Mr Peirce
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE
HKD 243/8
40CT:3
Sile
853
$3
CM Colvin SCAD
Yok
1.
Your minute of 3 October raised two questions on Mr Hua's
minute of 30 September:
(a) how durable do we think the downward trend in arrivals in
para 3(i) of Mr Hum's minute is; and
(b) do we have any indications whether the Vietnamese will
accept those, now over 300, who have volunteered to
return?
2.
On (a), the downward trend is partly explained as arrivals at
this time of year normally decline because of weather conditions.
They normally pick up again in the spring. But the difference this.
year is that arrivals have declined to zero over the last two weeks.
This may result from Chinese actions to encourage boat people to
return to Vietnam rather than continue to Hong Kong. There is also
some evidence that the Vietnamese are taking more effective measures
to prevent departures. We take some encouragement from this, but
the long term trend remains to be seen.
3. On (b), the Vietnamese profess themes elves willing to accept
back those wishing to return. We intend to press them to accept che prompt return of these volunteers in the next round of talks, but they may delay agreeing this until they can secure some
resettlement assistance (even for this initial batch).
R. Foohman
сови 3 го
R C L FOOTMAN
Hong Kong Department
3 October 1988
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