TNAG-1803-FCO40-2563-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-talks-between-the-UK--Hong-Kon-1988 — Page 54

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YOUR TELNO 469: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG

1.

ACTION TAKEN AS INSTRUCTED IN YOUR TUR WITH KOBSAK CHUTIKUL, DEPUTY DIRECTOR-GENERAL, MFA ON 18 OCTOBER.

2.

·

KOBSAK WAS GRATEFUL FOR DETAILS OF THE SECOND ROUND OF TALKS. HE ASKED PARTICULARLY, ON WHAT BASIS THE VIETNAMESE WOULD ACCEPT VOLUNTARY RETURNEES (WE SUGGESTED HE DISCUSS WITH UNHCR) WHETHER THERE HAD BEEN DISCUSSION ON INVOLUNTARY REPATRIATION OF THOSE SCREEN OUT (WE SAID NOT SUBSTANTIVELY, BUT THAT INTERNATIONAL PRACTICE ALLOWED FOR RETURN, ΤΟ COUNTRY OF ORIGIN, OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS YOUR TELNO 2659 TO HONG KONG).

3. KOBSAK ALSO EXPRESSED HIS CONCERN OVER SOME ASPECTS OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE RETURNEES. HE HAD DISCUSSED VIETNAMESE PROPOSALS WITH UNHCR AND WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT HOUSING WOULD BE PROVIDED FOR RETURNEES. IF SO, THIS WOULD PROVE AN INCENTIVE WHICH WOULD ENCOURAGE CONTINUED DE- PARTURES (A PULL FACTOR). WE RESPONDED ON THE BASIS OF PARA (U) OF YOUR TELNO 2670, SAYING THAT OUR UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT ONLY HOUSING ITEMS WOULD BE PROVIDED. IS OUR INTER-

PRETATION CORRECT?

4.

SIMILARLY, KOBSAK SAID HIS UNDERSTANDING, FROM UNHCR, WAS THAT VIETNAM WOULD NOT (NOT) BE RESPONSIBLE FOR

INTERNAL TRANSPORT IN VIETNAM. THIS DOES NOT ACCORD WITH

WHAT KHOAN SAID IN LONDON (PARA (3)(G) OF TELNO 2670.

ΤΟΝΚΙΝ

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