SECRET
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 13110OZ FCO
TELNO 1824
OF 13094OZ MAY 88
INFO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA
SECRET
012604 MDHIAN 9338
Q DIST 2
FINAL PART OF TWO PARTS
ARGUMENT
9. THE TIME HAS COME FOR CONSIDERATION OF A CHANGE IN POLICY. THERE IS A NEED TO COUNTERACT THE MAIN 'PULL FACTOR'' WHICH MOTIVATES DEPARTURES BY SMALL BOAT FROM VIETNAM. THIS IS THE FIXED HOPE OF ALL BOAT PEOPLE FOR RESETTLEMENT AS REFUGEES, REGARDLESS OF THEIR REASONS FOR LEAVING VIETNAM. ANY CHANGE OF POLICY MUST BE SUFFICIENTLY TOUGH AND CLEAR TO DETER FURTHER ARRIVALS WHILE AS FAR AS POSSIBLE NOT INFRINGING INTERNATIONALLY ACCEPTED NORMS OF HUMANE BEHAVIOUR AND THE TREATMENT OF GENUINE REFUGEES. IT WILL HAVE TO BE ACCEPTABLE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AND TO THE
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.
10. THE GOVERNMENT HAS INITIATED DISCUSSIONS WITH OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE REGION AFFECTED BY THE OUTFLOW OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE WITH A VIEW TO ASSESSING THE LIKELIHOOD OF A REGIONAL APPROACH TO THE SITUATION AND OBTAINING THE VIEWS OF OTHER PLACES OF FIRST ASYLUM ON HOW TO DETER ARRIVALS OF ECONOMIC MIGRANTS. THESE DISCUSSIONS HAVE SO FAR INDICATED THAT THERE IS GENERAL AGREEMENT THAT TOUGHER MEASURES ARE CALLED FOR, BUT NOT WHAT THEY SHOULD BE. THAILAND HAS UNILATERALLY INTRODUCED FROM MID-JANUARY 1988 A POLICY OF PERSUADING BOATS NOT TO LAND IN THAILAND AND TRANSFERRING BOAT PEOPLE WHO DO LAND IN THAI TERRITORY TO A CLOSED CAMP ON THE THAI-CAMBODIAN BORDER WITHOUT ACCESS TO RESETTLEMENT PROCESSING. MALAYSIA HAS THREATENED TO SHOO BOATS AWAY'' ONE YEAR AFTER A DATE TO BE SET IF HIGH ARRIVAL RATES CONTINUE AND RESETTLEMENT DOES NOT KEEP PACE.
OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO HONG KONG
11. IT WOULD NOT BE ACCEPTABLE FOR HONG KONG TO INTRODUCE A POLICY OF PUSHING BOATS OFF. QUITE APART FROM THE PRACTICAL AND HUMAN DIFFICULTIES OF REQUIRING GOVERNMENT SERVANTS TO FORCE SMALL LEAKY BOATS CARRYING WOMEN AND CHILDREN BACK OUT TO SEA, SUCH A COURSE WOULD CONFLICT WITH HONG KONG'S HUMANITARIAN AND MORAL OBLIGATIONS AND HAVE VERY SERIOUS REPERCUSSIONS FOR HONG KONG'S INTERNATIONAL
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