TNAG-1909-FCO40-2713-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-voluntary-and-mandatory-repat-1989 — Page 191

HKB

27319

SECRET

From:

A R Brenton

United Nations Dept

Date: O December 1989

*S*

Mr Paul, NKD

VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE

ì.

bcc:

PS

PS/Mr Maude

PS/PUS

Mr Gillmore o/r

Mr McLaren

Mr Colvin, SEAD

Mr Burns, News Dept

Mr Haswell, HKD

I have just seen Mr Haswell's minute of 1 December and subsequent papers. I very much support his conclusion that we should think again about going ahead with mandatory repatriation

It seems agreed that mandatory repatriation woula:

now.

(a) slow down the pace or voluntary returns, because of the

inadequacy of Vietnam's reception facilities;

(b) slow down the rate of coming forward of new volunteers;

(c)

fall to act

as

an adequate deterrent for next year's inflow;

(a) leaa inevitably to strong criticism by the US, UNIICR and

within the UK;

(e) quite possibly require the use by us of "minimal force" which

might then cause the Vietnamese to pull out to our extreme embarrassment.

2. In short mandatory repatriation now would achieve no object except to palliate (probably brierly) political pressures in Hong Kong. And for that we are proposing to wake 56 people at 3.00 am, order them to pack in the presence of hundreds of counsellors, officials and policemen (with or without nightsticks) and then ship them back, it we can, to an unpleasant and impoverished communist dictatorship. The time may come when we will be reduced to behaving in this way but, લેક MY Haswell makes clear, it is not yet.

ARRE

ARBAND

SECRET

AR BRENTON