Hanoi Agrees to Repatriation of ‘Boat People’

Britain, Vietnam and the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees have reached an agreement that could lead to the repatriation of thousands of Vietnamese “boat people” from overcrowded camps in Hong Kong, officials in Hanoi said Saturday.

The joint statement, released in London, said that Vietnam had agreed after two days of talks to take back refugees who have not volunteered for repatriation but are not opposed to returning.

There was international condemnation after 51 Vietnamese, categorized by Britain as non-refugees, were forcibly sent home from Hong Kong in December, 1989. The wording of Saturday’s statement was careful not to suggest any forced repatriation.

The statement said the U.N. office, rather than the Hong Kong government as in the past, would be responsible for coaxing the 50,000 boat people to leave camps in Hong Kong and return home. Most do not qualify as refugees under international criteria and are ineligible for resettlement in the West.

The meeting was initiated by Vietnam and represented a turnabout in thinking by Hanoi, which in the past has refused to accept any refugees who had not volunteered to return home.

The change in policy from Hanoi comes at a time when Vietnam is hoping for a European Community aid package and is looking to improve relations with its Southeast Asian neighbors.

Negotiations are continuing on the matter of those boat people who are refusing to return.

British officials described the agreement as a breakthrough, and said they are confident they will be able to send back large numbers of refugees without the use of force.

David Colvin, head of the British negotiating team, said he hoped the program could get under way in a matter of weeks.