TNAG-2356-FCO40-3427-Ministerial-visits-from-the-UK-to-Hong-Kong-1991 — Page 30

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March 1989, nearly 12,000 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.

13.

Officials from Vietnam, the UK and Hong Kong, together with representatives of UNHCR and the International

Organisation for Migration met in Hanoi from 23-27 September to discuss additional means of accelerating the rate of

return to Vietnam of non-refugees. At the meetings, the Vietnamese indicated that they would be prepared to receive

all non-refugees returned to Vietnam in accordance with normal international practices. Following this, the

British, Hong Kong and Vietnamese Governments reached

agreement on 17 October on the modalities of return of the

'double-backers' (ie those who having volunteered to return

to Vietnam once there by benefitting from UNHCR cash assistance entered Hong Kong illegally a second time) and on

29 October they signed a statement of understanding on the

principles of an Orderly Repatriation Programme (ORP).

Under this, as a first step, all Vietnamese Migrants who arrive in Hong Kong after 29 October 1991 will be screened immediately. Those who, after screening and appeal are determined not to be refugees and who do not volunteer to

return to Vietnam will then be repatriated without delay.

14. The first repatriation of 59 'double-backers' took

place on 9 November. A further 16 "double-backers" and 12

new arrivals flew back to Vietnam on 10 December. All had

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