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Date 23 February 1989
Mr Etherton
British Embassy
PARIS.
57)
Ди Hurte
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG
1.
We spoke on this subject yesterday. I agreed to let you have a note on our policy on involuntary repatriation and on the forthcoming International Conference.
2.
INVOLUNTARY REPATRIATION
i) We believe that in due course all except genuine refugees must go back, once satisfactory arrangements for this have been made in consultation with the Vietnamese authorities. Those screened out as non-refugees have no prospect of resettlement. Cannot stay idefinitely in Hong Kong. Their future lies in Vietnam. Must be right to work for acceptable arrangements for this. Vietnamese have agreed that comprehensive settlement is needed to cover all non-refugees.
ii) Involuntary repatriation is a course we must be prepared to contemplate eventually. But in the meantime we should see how the current programme of voluntary repatriation progresses. The first batch of 81 volunteers will be returning on 2 March. We hope the programme will snowball. The Hong Kong Government is very keen that the screening policy should be implemented fairly and consistently.
3.
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INDO-CHINESE REFUGEES
iii) The ASEAN countries have proposed the convening of an International Conference, probably in Geneva on 13 and 14 June, to address the general problem of boat people and Indo-Chinese refugees in South East Asia.
iv) We regard this as a helpful development. HMG has said it would attend the conference. It is important that it be well-prepared if the Conference is to be a success. To this end a prepcon is to be held in Kuala Lumpur on 7-9 March. A draft declaration for a comprehensive plan of action, to be discussed further at the prepcon, has been drawn up by an international drafting group.
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