CONFIDENTIAL
103510
MDHI 5268
PRESSURE THE VIETNAMESE INTO TAKING ACTION TO PREVENT DEPARTURES AND TO ACCEPT MANDATORY REPATRIATION. VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION WAS OF LITTLE VALUE AND IT WAS ESSENTIAL TO HAVE MANDATORY REPATRIATION IN PLACE BY MARCH 1990 I.E. BEFORE NEXT SUMMER.
6. MRS FAN WAS ALSO VERY CRITICAL OF THE US ATTITUDE ON MANDATORY REPATRIATION. SHE DREW ATTENTION TO US ACTION PRACTICE REGARDING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM MEXICO, HAITI AND OTHER CENTRAL AMERICAN AND CARRIBEAN COUNTRIES. SHE SAW LITTLE PROSPECT OF MAINTAINING
FIRST ASYLUM WITHOUT MANDATORY REPATRIATION.
7. MR HUI YIN-FAT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES OF OVERCROWDING THE CAMPS. HE SHARED THE GENERAL VIEW ON MANDATORY REPATRIATION AND FIRST ASYLUM. THE CHINESE COULD ALSO DO MORE TO HELP BOTH IN PREVENTING COAST HOPPING AND IN REPATRIATION.
8. MR MARTIN LEE STATED THAT THE VBP PROBLEM WAS A MATTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND WAS THEREFORE HMG'S RESPONSIBILITY. THE GOVERNMENT'S CONSPICUOUS FAILURE TO FIND A SOLUTION WAS DOING GREAT DAMAGE TO ITS CREDIBILITY. SCREENING SHOULD BE ABANDONED AND THE UK SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ALL REFUGEES INCLUDING MEETING THE COSTS OF ACCOMMODATION. IF THE UK WAS NOT PREPARED TO MEET THESE COSTS THE HKG SHOULD MAKE AN APPROPRIATE DEDUCTION FROM ITS DCA CONTRIBUTION.
9. MR MCGREGOR (WHOM MR ANDREW WONG WHO HAD NOT INTENDED TO SPEAK, INTERVENED TO SUPPORT, ARGUED THAT HUMANITARIAN CONCERNS SHOULD NOT BE ABANDONED IN THE FACE OF WHAT WAS, HE AGREED, A CRISIS. HONG KONG COULD BE PROUD OF ITS RECORD ON FIRST ASYLUM AND SHOULD NOT CHANGE THIS POLICY.
10. IN REPLY THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY (FULL TEXT IN OUR TELNO MISC 326 TO HANOI) AGREED WITH THE GENERAL VIEW THAT REPATRIATION WAS AN ESSENTIAL ELEMENT IN THE CPA. HE DOUBTED THAT VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION WOULD BE A SUFFICIENT SOLUTION AND SAID THAT HKG WOULD BE PRESSING FOR EARLY MANDATORY REPATRIATION. IT WAS ESSENTIAL TO IMPROVE THE OPERATION OF THE SCREENING AND APPEALS PROCEDURES. THESE WERE BEING REVIEWED URGENTLY, THE OBJECTIVE BEING TO CLEAR THE CURRENT BACKLOG IN A YEAR AND COMPLETE SCREENING AND APPEALS FOR NEW ARRIVALS WITHIN 3 MONTHS.
11. THE MOTION WAS CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY ALTHOUGH MR MARTIN LEE, WHO HAD SAID HE INTENDED TO ABSTAIN, WAS NOT PRESENT WHEN THE VOTE WAS TAKEN.
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