TNAG-1911-FCO40-2715-Financial-assistance-from-the-UK-Government-to-Vietnamese-re-1989 — Page 54

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course.

DSR 11C (Revised 5/87)

boat people in spring and summer 1990 (an influx which is

almost certainly inevitable, whether or not we succeed in

establishing the principle of mandatory repatriation).

Such a camp would also allow other camps in much needed

development areas in Hong Kong to be shut down in due

A similar financing problem vis-a-vis the

Legislative Council arises in this case. The Hong Kong

Government judge, however, that the approval of LegCo for

funds could be forthcoming as a counterpart to a 50%

contribution from us, and on the assumption that

mandatory repatriation starts soon. The Hong Kong

Government estimate that £13 million will be required

from us, £5 million falling in the current financial

year. The case for this expenditure is set out at

Annex B.

(c)

Mandatory repatriation: per capita payments

7. There is sufficient provision for per capita payments

for mandatory repatriation in the current financial year

(see paragraphs 2-3 above). Our agreement with the

Vietnamese provides for per capita payments of $620

(£390). On this basis the sum we have set aside for the

current financial year would cover the mandatory

repatriation of about 3,000 people

an ambitious target.

We estimate that up to 40,000 of the boat people now in

Hong Kong will eventually be screened out as non

refugees.

We hope that a substantial number will

volunteer to go back (in which case per capita payments

would fall to the UNHCR). But we must plan on the worst

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