TNAG-1905-FCO40-2709-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-voluntary-and-mandatory-repat-1989 — Page 19

BAGACS (5)

CONFIDENTIAL

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detained until suitable arrangements for their return to Vietnam could be agreed.

Negotiating with Vietnam

11. We and the Hong Kong Government held two rounds of talks with

Vietnam, culminating in October 1988 in agreement :

(a) that "comprehensive arrangements" for all boat people arriving in Hong Kong after 16 June were needed;

(b) that a start with repatriation would be made with those boat

people who volunteered to go back.

The Vietnamese gave assurances that no returnees would be punished.

UNHCR agreed to monitor their treatment and reintegration into

Vietnam. In December 1988 the UNHCR and Vietnam signed a Memorandum

of Understanding about the principles and procedures for voluntary repatriation to Vietnam.

12. The UNHCR have taken charge of practical arrangements for those

who volunteer to go back. So far 143 people have returned in this

way in two batches, in March and April 1989. A third group of about 78 is due to return in mid August. Volunteers receive modest

reintegration assistance (to a value of about US$700 per adult). HMG have contributed US$125,000 to this programme. The Hong Kong

Government have contributed an equivalent amount.

13. It has however always been clear that voluntary repatriation

cannot provide a comprehensive solution to the problem. Our

agreement of October 1988 with Vietnam was in fact a fudge, because the Vietnamese made it clear that they were not prepared at that

stage to take back non volunteers, while we insisted that this had

to be part of any "comprehensive arrangements". The subsequent

volunteer figures have borne this out the numbers volunteering

have been small.