TNAG-1908-FCO40-2712-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-voluntary-and-mandatory-repat-1989 — Page 136

CONFIDENTIAL

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CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 24133OZ FCO

TELNO 3893

OF 24110OZ NOVEMBER 89

INFO IMMEDIATE HANOI, UKMIS GENEVA

405

034204

MDHIAN 6008

TOP COPY Q DIST ?

PERSONAL FOR MCLAREN, AUSS FROM GOVERNOR

/392)

YRTELNO 2345: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: DETERRENT MEASURES

1. WE HAVE ALSO BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT THE LIKELIHOOD THAT WE CANNOT NOW SET UP A REPATRIATION PROGRAMME SUFFICIENTLY EARLY, OR SUFFICIENTLY LARGE, TO DETER SUBSTANTIAL ARRIVALS NEXT YEAR. WE HAVE THEREFORE BEEN CONSIDERING OPTIONS WHICH MIGHT STRENGTHEN THE

DETERRENT MESSAGE.

2. OUR THINKING ON INTERDICTION AT SEA HAS MOVED ON SINCE WE FIRST PUT FORWARD THIS IDEA IN OUR TELNO 1516. WE NOW BELIEVE THAT OUR OBJECTIVE SHOULD BE TO REMAIN WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE CPA WHILE AT THE SAME TIME DEVISING ARRANGEMENTS WHICH WOULD DEAL WITH NEW ASYLUM SEEKERS VERY QUICKLY. WE TOO HAVE IN MIND THE U.S. MODEL FOR ASYLUM SEEKERS FROM HAITI. IN ITS FULLY DEVELOPED FORM THIS APPROACH MIGHT WORK AS FOLLOWS:

(A) NEW ARRIVALS WOULD BE HELD IN A RECEPTION CENTRE.

(B) A SHIP WOULD BE PURCHASED, TO HOLD UP TO 1000 PEOPLE, AND CAPABLE OF SAILING TO HAIPHONG AND RETURNING TO HONG KONG WITHIN 4 OR 5 DAYS.

(C) NEW ARRIVALS WOULD BE SCREENED AT THE RECEPTION CENTRE (OR EVEN ABOARD THE SHIP) AND APPEALS WOULD BE HEARD AND DECIDED WITHIN A FEW DAYS. 24 HOURS IS PROBABLY TOO OPTIMISTIC. EVEN A TARGET OF CLEARING THE WHOLE PROCEDURE IN A FEW DAYS WOULD REQUIRE NEW LEGISLATION (TO SHORTEN THE STATUTORY PERIOD FOR APPEALS).

(D) ONCE SUFFICIENT PEOPLE HAD BEEN SCREENED OUT, OR PERHAPS ON A REGULAR SCHEDULE OF (SAY) ONCE A WEEK, THE SHIP WOULD SAIL FOR HAIPHONG.

3. WE HAVE COMPLETED OUR PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT OF SUITABLE SHIPS AND IDENTIFIED 5 WHICH ARE AVAILABLE AT REASONABLE PRICES. THEIR

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