TNAG-2233-FCO40-3206-Visits-by-the-Office-of-Members-of-the-Executive-and-Legisla-1991 — Page 54

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121633

MDHIAN 9926

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FM WASHINGTON

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 1505

OF 04225OZ JUNE 91

TOP COPY Q DIST?

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, UKMIS GENEVA, HANOI, ACTOR, PEKING

FAX 243/15

Гах

MY THREE IPTS: VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS

03 JUN

FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF JOINT PRESS RELEASE-

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QUOTE

SENIOR OFFICIALS OF THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM, THE UNITED STATES AND HONG KONG MET IN WASHINGTON ON 3-4 JUNE 1991 TO DISCUSS MEASURES TO DEAL WITH THE SHARPLY INCREASING NUMBER OF VIETNAMESE ASYLUM SEEKERS ARRIVING IN HONG KONG IN RECENT MONTHS.

THE INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE TO THE SITUATION OF VIETNAMESE ASYLUM SEEKERS IN HONG KONG AND SOUTHEAST ASIA IS GOVERNED BY THE MULTILATERAL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF ACTION (CPA), WHICH IS IMPLEMENTED BY THE UN HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES (UNHCR). THESE CONSULTATIONS WERE ENVISAGED BY THE RECENT MEETING OF THE CPA STEERING COMMITTEE TO EXPLORE MEASURES THAT COULD ENCOURAGE GREATLY ACCELERATED RATES OF RETURN TO VIETNAM OF THOSE DETERMINED NOT TO BE REFUGEES.

THE UNITED STATES, THE UNITED KINGDOM AND HONG KONG REMAIN COMMITTED TO THE CPA, ESPECIALLY FIRST ASYLUM AND FAIR PROCEDURES TO DETERMINE WHO IS AND WHO IS NOT A REFUGEE.

THE BRITISH AND HONG KONG SIDES INFORMED THE UNITED STATES THAT THEY INTEND AS A MATTER OF URGENCY TO SEEK BILATERAL DISCUSSIONS WITH VIETNAM. WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE CPA AND THE US POSITION ON INVOLUNTARY REPATRIATION, THE UNITED STATES DOES NOT OBJECT TO THESE DISCUSSIONS.

THE UK-VIETNAM BILATERAL DISCUSSIONS COULD CONSIDER THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN INTERNATIONALLY MANAGED CENTER ON TERRITORY PROVIDED BY VIETNAM FOR THOSE ASYLUM SEEKERS WHO ARE DETERMINED NOT TO BE REFUGEES AND WHO HAVE NOT TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THE EXISTING VOLUNTARY RETURN PROGRAMS. THESE

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