TNAG-1797-FCO40-2557-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 287

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RESTRICTED

TERTOP COP Q DIST'S

RESTRICTED FM CANBERRA

TO ROUTINE FCO

TELNO 740

OF 12060OZ SEPTEMBER 88

AND TO ROUTINE HONG KONG, BANGKOK

062756

MOLIAN 6129

био

REPATRIATION OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG

1. FIRST SECRETARY RECEIVED A DELEGATION OF 4 VIETNAMESE FROM SYDNEY WHO PRESENTED A PETITION SIGNED BY 7,000 PEOPLE ADDRESSED

" DEAR TO ME AND TO THE THAI AMBASSADOR. THE PETITION STATED EXCELLENCIES, WE, THE UNDERSIGNED VIETNAMESE REFUGEES AND AUSTRALIANS EARNESTLY CALL UPON YOUR GOVERNMENTS TO RECONSIDER THEIR POLICIES OF RETURNING VIETNAMESE REFUGEES FROM THAILAND AND HONG KONG BACK TO VIETNAM WITH THE INESCAPABLE RESULT, FOR THOSE REFUGEES, OF FACING INHUMAN PERSECUTION. WE APPEAL TO THE HUMANITARIAN TRADITIONS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND THE RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS OF THE KINGDOM OF THAILAND KNOWN AS THE LAND OF THE BUDDHA, SYMBOL OF COMPASSION.

THE SIGNATORIES INCLUDED SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE NSW UPPER HOUSE, LOCAL ALDERMEN AND THE FEDERAL OPPOSITION'S S HAD OW MINISTER FOR IMMIGRATION AND ETHNIC AFFAIRS.

2.

FIRST SECRETARY EXPLAINED THE DIFFICULTIES WHICH HAD NECESSITATED

IN HONG KONG FROM 16 JUNE AND THE INTRODUCTION OF A NEW POLICY EMPHASISED THAT THE BRITISH AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENTS WOULD BE TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION HUMANITARIAN FACTORS IN THEIR ATTEMPTS TO ACHIEVE AN ACCEPTABLE BASIS FOR REPATRIATION. THE VIETNAMESE WERE CONSIDERABLY MOLLIFIED BY THE EXPLANATION, BUT OBVIOUSLY NOT TOTALLY SATISFIED AS THEY WERE PRESSING FOR US NOT TO GO AHEAD WITH ANY REPATRIATION AT ALL.

3. THE VIETNAMESE MADE NO REFERENCE TO ALLEGATIONS OF ILL TREATMENT OF DETAINEES REFERRED TO IN HONG KONG TELEGRAM TO FCO N 03303.

COLES

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