TNAG-1905-FCO40-2709-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-voluntary-and-mandatory-repat-1989 — Page 301

CONFIDENTIAL

HkB 24319

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MDHIAN 2616

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 2298

OF 101045Z JULY 89

TOP COPY

INFO PRIORITY HANOI, UKMIS GENEVA, UKMIS NEW YORK, WASHINGTON INFO PRIORITY CANBERRA, OTTAWA, BANGKOK, BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN INFO PRIORITY JAKARTA, KUALA LUMPUR, MANILA, SINGAPORE

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YOUR TELNO 194 TO UKMIS GENEVA, UKMIS GENEVA TELNO 436 AND WASHINGTON TELNO 1836: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: REPATRIATION +KB 243/127

CIG

ア

WE ENTIRELY AGREE WITH YOUR VIEW THAT WE SHOULD PRESS AHEAD WITH THE VIETNAMESE ON A BILATERAL BASIS, AND THAT WE MUST GO ON WORKING TO ACHIEVE UNHCR INVOLVEMENT IN MONITORING AND REINTEGRATION ASSISTANCE FOR NON-VOLUNTEERS (PARAGRAPH 1 OF FIRST TUR). HOWEVER, GIVEN HOCKE'S ATTITUDE AS REPORTED IN THE SECOND TUR, OUR OBJECTIVE OF INVOLVING UNHCR IN REPATRIATION OF NON-VOLUNTEERS IS UNLIKELY TO BE

ACHIEVED QUICKLY.

2. THERE IS AN IMPORTANT INACCURACY IN PARAGRAPHS 4 AND 7 OF UKMIS GENEVA'S TUR WHERE WILLINGNESS TO RETURN'' IS DESCRIBED AS A CHARACTERISTIC OF RETURNEES UNDER ANY BILATERAL AGREEMENT WITH VIETNAM. THIS IS NOT THE INTENTION AND NOT WHAT WE AGREED IN HANOI. THOSE CONCERNED WILL ALL BE NON-VOLUNTEERS. SOME MAY ACCEPT THEIR REPATRIATION GRUDGINGLY OR WITH RESIGNATION, OTHERS WITH REGRET. THE MAIN POINT IS THAT THEY SHOULD BE ACQUIESCENT. NO PHYSICAL FORCE WILL BE USED: ANY WHO ACTIVELY RESIST WILL NOT BE RETURNED FOR THE TIME BEING. WE ASSUME THAT THERE IS NO/NO MISUNDERSTANDING BETWEEN US ON

THIS VERY IMPORTANT POINT.

3. WITH REGARD TO PARAGRAPH 3 OF THE THIRD TUR, THE FIRST REPATRIATI- ON EXERCISE WILL INVOLVE ONLY THE 26 NON-REFUGEES WHOSE APPEALS HAVE BEEN REJECTED. WE HAVE NO INTENTION OF RETURNING THOSE WHOSE APPEALS ARE STILL BEING PROCESSED. OUR OBJECTIVE REMAINS THAT ONLY THOSE WHO ARE FINALLY REPEAT FINALLY DETERMINED TO BE NON-REFUGEES SHOULD

BE RETURNED.

4. FOR THE FIRST REPATRIATION EXERCISE, CURRENT INDICATIONS ARE THAT THE SIZE OF THE GROUP WILL BE LESS THAN 26. WE ENVISAGE A GROUP OF ABOUT 20-23. A MORE ACCURATE ASSESSMENT CAN ONLY BE MADE CLOSER TO THE TIME OF DEPARTURE. WE ARE STILL WORKING ON THE BASIS THAT THE

GROUP WILL DEPART HONG KONG ON 17 JULY.

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CONFIDENTIAL