TNAG-1903-FCO40-2705-Hong-Kong-cabinet-meetings-on-Vietnamese-refugees-1990 — Page 50

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CONFIDENTIAL

to avoid an awkward conjunction with the visit to Hong Kong of The

Prince and Princess of Wales (7 - 10 November). We shall need to

prepare the ground carefully with the Vietnamese Government. There will also be much work to do in the context of our preparations for

SC3.

STRATEGY FOR STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING

11. Although an international consensus is not a precondition for our proceeding with mandatory repatriation, it would be very

desirable to maximise international support for it. We can do this by working as far as possible within the terms of the Comprehensive

Plan of Action (CPA), the document agreed at the ICIR. In fact we

have a good hand to play. SC3 has been tasked to recommend by

October the early examination and adoption of such measures as may be necessary, in addition to voluntary repatriation, in order to achieve the return to their country of origin of those screened out

as non refugees. At its second meeting (SC2) the Steering Committee

decided that such measures should include "the phased, orderly and

monitored return and reintegration in safety and dignity of all

those determined not to be refugees, under the good offices of

UNHCR". Building on this foundation, we should press for agreement

that this formula is now the only possible alternative measure,

unless, as is extremely unlikely, there is agreement on a regional holding centre for non-refugees. We could then plausibly argue that

when the first mandatory returns from Hong Kong take place, we have

merely anticipated the implementation of the CPA by a few months.

Given Hong Kong's special circumstances (screening introduced more

than a year before other first asylum countries, acute

overcrowding), this would be fully justified.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

12.

HMG have already contributed or committed substantial sums since the beginning of this year in connection with the Vietnamese

boat people problem. We have contributed £7 million through the

UNHCR. We have contributed £4.5 million direct to the Hong Kong

Government for emergency accommodation. We have also pledged £5

million towards a regional processing centre for refugees and have

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