CONFIDENTIAL
Vietnamese Boat People
12.
The number of Vietnamese asylum seekers in camps in Hong Kong is at its highest level for twelve years. There are over 64,000 Vietnamese in Hong Kong of whom more than 17,400 have so far been screened-out as non-refugees. Hong Kong now receives 98% of all new arrivals in the region.
The Comprehensive Plan of Action (CPA), adopted in June 1989 confirmed that those Vietnamese who qualified as refugees should be resettled while those who do not should return to their country of origin. Since March 1989, over 10,000 Vietnamese have volunteered for repatriation from Hong Kong. The UK supports voluntary repatriation but it is clear that this alone cannot solve the problem.
In December 1989, the British and Hong Kong governments, in agreement with the Vietnamese authorities, returned 51 non-refugees to Vietnam even though they had not volunteered to go back. Conditions for their return were similar to those for volunteers. But in response to the international criticism this action generated, the Vietnamese declined to agree to further mandatory repatriation.
14. Officials from Vietnam, the UK and Hong Kong, together with representatives of UNHCR and the International Organisation for Migration met in Hanoi from 23-7 September to discuss additional means of accelerating the rate of return to Vietnam of non-refugees. At the meetings, which followed on from earlier discussions and exchanges this year about the problems faced by Hong Kong. The Vietnamese indicated that they would be prepared to receive all non-refugees returned to Vietnam in accordance with normal international practice. Although we have now agreed in principle to begin an orderly repatriation programme, this has not yet been made public (as at 7 October) and no decision has been made on when this shall begin. UNHCR also announced on 27 September that the level of cash incentive would be reduced drastically for all asylum seekers arriving from Vietnam in places of first asylum after 27 September
1991.
TOMBDJ
CONFIDENTIAL
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