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CONFIDENTIAL
304
HITH 2431
LORD BELSTEAD'S VISIT TO HONG KONG : 6 TO 10 DECEMBER 1982
BRIEF NO.6: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
POINTS TO MAKE (Defensive)
No
141/12
1. Impressed by standards Hong Kong maintains, especially in closed camps.
Aware of the dilemma of "humane deterrence" and
sympathise with the difficulties this causes.
2. Understand now some evidence that news of closed camps is spreading in Vietnam. Was lower figure for arrivals in
September/October a sign of this?
But difficult to
3. Anxious to do what we can for Hong Kong. consider a further UK quota in present circumstances.
4.
But we are looking with the Home Office to see if we can do anything further, eg on ship rescues, unaccompanied minors, and extended family reunion criteria.
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HUMAN RIGHTS IMPLICATIONS
CLOSED CAMPS
[For use with officials]
5. We appreciate Hong Kong's position, and the reasons for introducing the policy, but we remain very concerned at the human rights implications of the closed camps. Hope that you can make suitable amendments to your legislation. In the meantime we put great value in continued close cooperation with UNHCR. Hope complaints such as Tai Tam will not be too frequent.
6. [For use with Unofficials and Press if required. Defensive] We are studying, together with the Hong Kong Government, the human rights implications of the closed camp policy. [If pressed] This relates to the various international conventions on human rights that HMG have signed and that have been extended to Hong Kong.
CONFIDENTIAL