TNAG-1971-FCO40-2804-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation-1989 — Page 91

(33

CONFIDENTIAL

MED 243/9 HKD

122350 MDHOAN 8605

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO DESKBY 06013OZ HANOI

TELNO 119

OF 05171OZ APRIL 89

TOP COPY Q DIST ?

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, UKMIS GENEVA, JAKARTA

JAKARTA FOR PS/LORD GLENARTHUR

YOUR TELNO 167 : LORD GLENARTHUR'S VISIT TO VIETNAM : VIETNAMESE

BOAT PEOPLE

MIPT : POINTS TO MAKE

-

YOU ARE AWARE OF GREAT

IMPORTANCE OF THIS ISSUE FOR HMG/HKG.

RATE OF NEW ARRIVALS IN HK IS ALARMING.

AT 1312 SO FAR IN 1989, 64 PER CENT UP ON 1988.

VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG POSE AN INTOLERABLE

SOCIAL AND FINANCIAL BURDEN. PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR FIRST ASSYLUM

POLICY RAPIDLY DIMINISHING.

ESSENTIAL TO STEM THE FLOW. WELCOME MEASURES TAKEN BY VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES. BUT SELF-EVIDENT THAT NOT ENOUGH

IS BEING DONE TO DETER NEW DEPARTURES.

RECALL AGREEMENT BETWEEN US LAST OCTOBER ON NEED FOR COMPREHENSIVE ARRANGEMENTS. PLEASED WITH PROGRESS AT KL PREPCON AND GRATEFUL FOR YOUR CONSTRUCTIVE ROLE. SUCCESSFUL CONFERENCE IN JUNE WILL REQUIRE CONTINUED COOPERATION OF ALL

CONCERNED.

WE ATTACH PARTICULAR IMPORTANCE TO PRINCIPLE ACCEPTED BY ALL

PARTIES AT KL THAT ALL CALL) NON-REFUGEES SHOULD RETURN TO THEIR

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN. WELL ESTABLISHED INTERNATIONAL PRACTICE

AND MUST NOT BE ERODED.

WE HAVE MADE A START IN TACKLING PROBLEM THROUGH VOLUNTARY

REPATRIATION. HOPE WE CAN FOLLOW UP WITH FURTHER BATCHES SOON, AND THAT MORE WILL FOLLOW. BUT RESULTS SO FAR DISAPPOINTING :

NUMBERS RETURNING ONLY A TRICKLE.

VOLUNTARY RETURNS ALONE UNLIKELY TO PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE

SOLUTION TO PROBLEM. WE SHALL THERE FORE NEED TO

-

LOOK SOON AT ALTERNATIVES ENVISAGED IN THE DRAFT CPA

INCLUDING THE INTRODUCTION OF MANDATORY REPATRIATION.

GIVEN PRESENT RATE OF ARRIVALS AND PROSPECT OF FURTHER LARGE INFLUX, PRESSURE FOR MOVE TO MANDATORY REPATRIATION IS BOUND TO GROW.

1

PAGE

CONFIDENTIAL