So far, no further repatriations have been carried out, though Britain has said it hopes to resume the forcible returns in a few months.

But others did not, and their forcible return conflicted with the 'non-refoulement' principle.

They and Britain demand that the United States either accept for asylum all Vietnamese refugees or drop its opposition to forcible return.

In an unusual congruence of views, the United States and Vietnam oppose any forcible return.

The forcible return of Haitian boat people was on display for all Americans to see.

All nine are in detention camps here, facing forcible return to Vietnam.

And it reversed a longstanding American interpretation of the Refugee Convention as prohibiting forcible return to dangerous situations.

It is widely accepted that the prohibition of forcible return is part of customary international law.

More than 100,000 people from Kosovo are in Austria, Germany and Switzerland, where they are subject to forcible return.

Hong Kong officials have said they hope to reach an agreement with Vietnam over the next few months on the forcible return of boat people.