TNAG-1905-FCO40-2709-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-voluntary-and-mandatory-repat-1989 — Page 227

CONFIDENTIAL

HKB 243/9

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 14130OZ FCO

TELNO 2375

OF 14120OZ JULY 89

वह ता

AND TO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON, HANOI, UKMIS GENEVA

106

123727

MDHIAN 3298

- COPY DIST 2

MY 3RD IPT

PERSONAL FOR MCLAREN FROM GOVERNOR

YOUR TELNOS 1505 AND 1506 : VBP : REPATRIATION : PRESENTATIONAL

ASPECTS

1. REVISED LINE TO TAKE WITH MEDIA AS FOLLOWS:

A. CONFIRM THAT ABOUT 20 VBPS WERE REPATRIATED ON () JULY BY PLANE

FROM HONG KONG TO HANOI:

B. THOSE REPATRIATED HAD ALL COMPLETED A LENGTHY SCREENING AND

APPEAL PROCEDURE IN ACCORDANCE WITH UNHCR AND INTERNATIONAL

PRACTICE: (IF NECESARY) UNHCR HAVE HAD ACCESS TO ALL CONCERNED AND

WERE INVOLVED IN PREPARATION OF APPEALS:

C. VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT HAVE ASSURED US THAT THOSE RETURNING WILL

NOT BE PUNISHED FOR HAVING LEFT CLADESTINELY, THAT THEY WILL BE TREATED HUMANELY AND THAT WE CAN MONITOR THEIR TREATMENT AFTER

RETURN:

D. HMG AND HKG WILL PROVIDE REINTEGRATION ASSISTANCE SIMILAR TO THAT

AFFORDED THOSE RETURNING UNDER UNHCR'S PROGRAMME.

2. FOR USE AS NECESSARY.

E. NO FORCE WAS USED AND THERE WAS NEVER ANY QUESTION OF USING

FORCE. WE ARE MAKING EVERY EFFORT TO PERSUADE ALL THOSE SCREENED OUT

AS NON-REFUGEES THAT THEY STAND ABSOLUTELY NO CHANCE OF

RESETTLEMENT ELSEWHERE AND THAT IT IS IN THEIR OWN BEST INTERESTS

TO LEAVE VOLUNTARILY FOR VIETNAM RATHER THAN REMAIN

INDEFINITELY IN A HOLDING CAMP IN HONG KONG:

F. OUR POLICY IS CONSISTENT WITH THE TERMS OF THE CPA UNDER WHICH

THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY HAS AGREED THAT ALL NON-REFUGEES SHOULD

PAGE

1

CONFIDENTIAL