A
B, C
4.
We are unlikely to achieve objective (c) in full at this round, though I would hope to make significant progress. We will first try to get the Vietnamese to accept the principle that all Vietnamese boat people in Hong Kong screened out as non-refugees are illegal immigrants who must accordingly be returned to Vietnam in accordance with normal international practice. Resettlement assistance is again likely to be a major consideration for the Vietnamese. I recommend that we should indicate readiness to contribute to a UNHCR programme of reintegration assistance as part of a comprehensive package.
5. The Hong Kong Government and HM Ambassador Hanoi concur.
Background
The first round of talks
In
6. Mr Hum's submission of 25 August reported on progress in the first round of talks on 3-4 August, which ended inconclusively. brief, the Vietnamese agreed to take effective measures to stem the outflow, insisted that returns should be on a voluntary basis, and made it clear that reintegration assistance was
component of any agreement. We concluded that their emphasis on voluntary returns was largely tactical, but that if progress is to be made on a comprehensive repatriation scheme we would have to be prepared to agree some form of reintegration assistance under a UNHCR programme.
Ministers have agreed this in principle.
Current situation on departures for Hong Kong
7. We pressed the Vietnamese hard in the first round to take effective measures to stem the outflow. They agreed to do so. Arrivals in Hong Kong dropped substantially in August and dramatically in September. There were no arrivals at all in th. second half of last month. Large decreases were to be expected as a result of seasonal weather changes. We know the Vietnamese have given some publicity in Vietnam to the talks about repatriation. But it is not clear what else they have done to step up deterrent measures at major points of departure. The Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister assured the Secretary of State in New York that the organisers of these departures would be severely punished. In the coming round we will emphasise the need for active Vietnamese efforts in this area to ensure that the problem in Hong Kong is contained, to the extent possible, at the present level.
Vietnamese position
8.
It is possible to deduce from exchanges which the Vietnamese have had with us and others how they are likely to approach the second round of talks. Formally, they draw a distinction between volunteers and non-volunteers. They say they are ready to facilitate progress over the return of the former. They expect
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