CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1741
144
CONFIDENTIAL
177534
MDHIAN 3222
HKB 243/5
RECEIVED IN
16 JUL 1990
SI
OF 04080OZ JUNE 90
INFO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA, HANOI
141
attached.
OUR TELNO 1714 : UKMIS GENEVA TELNO 376 : VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE :
MANDATORY REPATRIATION
1. VIEIRA DE MELLO'S IDEAS ON BREAKING THE MANDATORY REPATRIATION IMPASSE ARE VERY WELCOME. IT IS CLEARLY IN OUR INTERESTS TO EXPLORE THIS NEW THINKING IN GENEVA AND WE AGREE THAT THERE IS SOMETHING TO BE GAINED FROM INVITING A VIETNAMESE TEAM TO HONG KONG. THIS MIGHT WELL TURN OUT TO BE A JOURNEY DOWN THE SAME BLIND ALLEY SO EXTENSIVELY EXPLORED DURING THE PAST YEAR BUT THE IDEA OF JOINT VOLUNTARY AND MANDATORY REPATRIATION FLIGHTS DOES SEEM TO OFFER
SOME SCOPE FOR MAKING PROGRESS.
2. OUR CONCERNS ABOUT THE GREY AREA APPROACH AND THE FINESSING OF THE FORCE ISSUE ARE WELL KNOW TO YOU. SEEN FROM HERE, WE NEED TO SECURE UNHCR AND VIETNAMESE UNDERSTANDING ON TWO ESSENTIAL POINTS
IF THIS NEW APPROACH IS TO WORK.
(A) IF A SMALL GROUP ON NON-VOLUNTEERS ARE RETURNED ON A UNHCR VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION FLIGHT, IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT THEY DISEMBARK AT HANOI. WE COULD NOT PROCEED UNLESS WE HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE CAN BE NO QUESTION OF SUCH PEOPLE RETURNING TO HONG KONG
IF THEY RESIST DISEMBARKATION.
(B) IT IS ALSO ESSENTIAL THAT WE AGREE A PUBLIC LINE ON THE NATURE OF SUCH AN OPERATION. IN GENERAL TERMS WE THINK THE LESS SAID THE BETTER. THE ESSENTIAL POINT IS THAT BOTH UNHCR AND THE VIETNAMESE REFRAIN FROM MAKING COMMENTS TO THE EFFECT THAT ONLY THOSE WHO DO NOT RESIST WILL BE ACCEPTABLE. IF WE ARE TO HAVE ANY HOPE OF MAKING SUCH AN ARRANGEMENT WORK WE MUST AVOID GIVING THE IMPRESSION TO POTENTIAL RETURNEES THAT A SHOW OF RESISTANCE WILL PREVENT
REPATRIATION.
3. IN SELECTING A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO MIGHT BE EXPECTED TO ACQUIESCE WE WILL FOCUS OUR ATTENTION ON A GROUP OF 131 RELATIVELY RECENT ARRIVALS WHO HAVE COMPLETED BOTH THE SCREENING AND REVIEW STAGES UNDER THE RAPID TURNAROUND SCHEME. THE NAMES AND
1
PAGE CONFIDENTIAL
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.