RECE
SOCT 1986
Y
OCMIAN 5680
CONFIDENTIAL
DD 01010OZ HOKON
FM FCOLN TO HOKON
301150Z SEP
GRS 512
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO DESKBY 010100Z HONG KONG
TELNO 2084
OF 301150Z SEPTEMBER 86
INFO ROUTINE UKMIS GENEVA
MY SECOND IPT: UMHCR EXCOM
CONFIDENTIAL
TOP COF Q DIST ?
65680 1
POINTS TO MAKE WITH MEMBERS OF QUOTE HONOLULU GROUP UNQUOTE (IE
DELEGATIONS OF AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN AND US
1.
REMAIN VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE CONTINUING OUTFLOW OF
QUOTE BOAT PEOPLE UNQUOTE FROM VIETNAM. DESPITE CONTINUING
RESETTLEMENT, NEW ARRIVALS CONTINUE TO SWELL NUMBERS IN THE HONG
KONG CAMPS. HONG KONG'S ARRIVAL RATE THIS YEAR IS NEARLY DOUBLE
THE RATE OF LAST YEAR (1812 JANUARY-AUGUST 1986 COMPARED WITH 875
SAME PERIOD 1985). OF HONG KONG'S PRESENT CAMP POPULATION OF
8515 (1 SEPTEMBER), 64 PER CENT HAVE BEEN THERE FOR OVER THREE
YEARS.
2.
PROBLEM NOT ONE AFFECTING HONG KONG ONLY: HMG ARE ALSO
CONCERNED AT ACCELERATING QUOTE COMPASSION FATIGUE UNQUOTE AND
GENERAL DESTABILISING EFFECT OF UNRESETTLABLE INDOCHINESE IN
CAMPS IN PLACES OF FIRST ASYLUM THROUGHOUT SOUTHEAST ASIA.
3.
FURTHER PROBLEM IS THAT SOME RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES ARE
NOW REFUSING TO REGARD MANY OF THOSE IN HONG KONG AS QUOTE TRUE
REFUGEES UNQUOTE BUT CONSIDER THEM RATHER AS QUOTE ECONOMIC
MIGRANTS UNQUOTE, AND THUS WILL NOT INCLUDE THEM IN THEIR
1
CONFIDENTIAL