TNAG-1970-FCO40-2803-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation-1989 — Page 139

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 636

OF 240945Z FEBRUARY 89

INFO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA

CONFIDENTIAL

1644

151765

MDLIAN 9980

/OMOLIAN

Totknopy a DIST/

!

VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE:

MANDATORY REPATRIATION

THERE HAS BEEN A GOOD DEAL OF INTEREST OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS FROM THE PRESS AND CONSULATES IN OUR POSITION ON MANDATORY REPATRIATION. WE ARE ANXIOUS TO ENSURE THAT WE REMAIN IN STEP WITH YOUR AND THE GOVERNOR'S THINKING ON THIS VERY SENSITIVE ISSUE. WE SUGGEST THE FOLLOWING LINE IN ANSWERING ENQUIREIES.

(A)

SCREENING PROCEDURES IN HONG KONG SEPARATE VBP INTO TWO QUITE DISTINCT GROUPS I.E. REFUGEES AND NON-REFUGEES. THE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEMS POSED BY REFUGEES. THE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLESM POSED BY REFUGEES IS RESETTLEMENT AND FOR THE NON-REFUGEES THE ONLY LOGICAL AND DURABLE SOLUTION AVAILABLE TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IS REPATRIATION.

(B) HMG/HKG HOPE THAT AS THE SCREENING PROGRAMME PROGRESSES AND ONCE THE UNHCR REPATRIATION CHANNEL BECOMES ESTABLISHED, MORE PEOPLE WILL VOLUNTEER TO RETURN TO VIETNAM. THE ONLY OPTIONS FOR NON-REFUGEES ARE TO REMAIN IN DETENTION IN HONG KONG OR TO RETURN TO VIETNAM. VOLUNTARY RETURN IS OBVIOUSLY PREFERABLE FOR ALL CONCERNED AND UK/HK ENCOURAGED BY THE IMMINENT DEPARTURE OF THE FIRST GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS.

(C) MANDATORY REPATRIATION IS AN INTERNATIONALLY ACCEPTED

THE NEAREST PROCEDURE FOR DEALING WITH ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION. EXAMPLE IS REPATRIATION OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM HONG KONG TO CHINA. COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO ACCEPT BACK THOSE OF THEIR CITIZENS WHO ARE REFUSED ENTRY INTO OTHER COUNTRIES.

(D) HOWEVER FACT THAT PEOPLE DO NOT GO BACK VOLUNTARILY DOES NOT MEAN FORCE IS USED. AT THIS STAGE UK/HK SEEKING INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT FOR APPLICATION TO VIETNAM OF THE PRINCIPLE OF MANDATORY REPATRIATION, SUBJECT TO:

(1) SATISFACTORY ASSURANCES FROM THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES

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