RESTRICTED
MICD 24319 нко
154
156246
MDHIAN 0899
RESTRICTED
FM UKMIS GENEVA
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO MISC 1
OF 170717Z APRIL
INFO IMMEDIATE FCO, HANOI
,142
!
Q DIST ?
HONG KONG TELNO MISC 230 TO HANOI: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE:
REPATRIATION
1. VIEIRA DE MELLO (UNHCR ASIA BUREAU) EXPRESSED SERIOUS CONCERN TO
US LAST WEEK ABOUT HONG KONG'S INTENTION TO USE A FERRY TO
ACCOMMODATE THE LATEST BATCH OF VOLUNTEERS FOR REPATRIATION TO
VIETNAM AND SOUGHT A REVIEW OF THIS DECISION.
2. VIEIRA DE MELLO RECALLED HIS CONVERSATION WITH THE SECRETARY FOR
SECURITY IN THE MARGINS OF THE SUB COMMITTEE ON RECEPTION/STATUS DETERMINATION IN HONG KONG IN THE FIRST WEEK IN APRIL, WHEN BARNES HAD MADE CLEAR THAT THE PRESSURE ON SPACE, GIVEN THE LATEST INFLUX OF VBPS, MADE IT INEVITABLE THAT HK WOULD HAVE TO USE FERRIES TO ACCOMMODATE THEM. ALTHOUGH UNHCR HAD GENERAL RESERVATIONS ABOUT USING FERRIES FOR TEMPORARY REFUGEE ACCOMMODATION, VIEIRA DE MELLO HAD NOT OBJECTED. HE RECOGNISED THAT HONG KONG WAS FACING A SERIOUS
PROBLEM. THE CRAMPED CONDITIONS ON THE FERRIES MIGHT AT LEAST
RE-EMPHASISE THE FUTILITY OF LEAVING VIETNAM CLANDESTINELY TO FACE
AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE IN HONG KONG AND PROBABLY RETURN TO VIETNAM
AFTER BEING SCREENED OUT.
3. VIEIRA DE MELLO THOUGHT THAT A DIFFERENT ARGUMENT HELD GOOD FOR
THOSE WHO HAD VOLUNTEERED TO RETURN TO VIETNAM. UNHCR WAS ANXIOUS TO CONVEY TO THOSE WHO WERE CONTEMPLATING RETURN THAT THEY WOULD BE GIVEN GENERALLY FAVOURED TREATMENT IN ORDER TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS FOR RETURN, IN LINE WITH THE DRAFT CPA, AND TO MINIMISE THE RESIDUAL NUMBER OF SCREENED OUT FOR WHOM
COMPREHENSIVE ARRANGEMENTS' MIGHT HAVE TO BE INVOKED. FERRY ACCOMMODATION FOR RETURNEES FOR THE LAST WEEKS OF THEIR STAY IN HONG
KONG WAS UNLIKELY TO ACHIEVE THIS OBJECTIVE. HE HOPED HONG KONG
MIGHT THINK AGAIN ABOUT ITS PLANS TO ENSURE THAT THE RIGHT
IMPRESSIONS WERE CONVEYED TO THOSE IN THE CAMPS AND CENTRES WHO
REMAINED UNDECIDED.
SANKEY
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