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243 19 14
112064 SMDLIAN 9415
OF 04035OZ JANUARY 88
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, HANOI, UKMIS GENEVA
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
LEGCO AD HOC GROUP AGAIN CALLS FOR HONG KONG TO CEASE BEING PLACE OF FIRST ASYLUM FOR VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE AND WARNS AGAINST IMPROVING CONDITIONS IN CLOSED CAMPS TOO QUICKLY.
2. RESPONDING TO AN OXFAM REPORT (VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG: THE WAY FORWARD COPY FOLLOWS BY BAG), MRS. RITA FAN, CONVENOR OF LEGCO AD HOC GROUP ON REFUGEES, SAID THAT HER GROUP SYMPATHISED WITH OXFAM'S MOTIVES FOR PROPOSING IMPROVEMENTS TO CONDITIONS IN THE CLOSED CAMPS AS WELL AS TO FACILITIES AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE REFUGEES. BUT SHE WARNED THAT IMPROVING SUCH CONDITIONS AND FACILITIES TOO QUICKLY COULD ACT AS A FURTHER PULL FACTOR TO ARRIVALS FROM VIETNAM AND HER GROUP REPEATED ITS CALL FOR HONG KONG TO CEASE TO BE A PLACE OF FIRST ASYLUM FIRST.
3.
WE HAVE UNDERTAKEN TO RESPOND TO THE LEGCO AD HOD GROUP ON THIS LATTER POINT BY APRIL/MAY 1988. WE WILL SHORTLY BE RECEIVING FROM UNHCR A PAPER ON THE LEGAL AND HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TO THE PRINCIPLE OF FIRST ASYLUM AS IT APPLIED TO HONG KONG AND WILL CONSULT YOU FURTHER ON THIS ASPECT WHEN WE HAVE SIGHT OF THIS PAPER.
MEANWHILE WE ARE STUDYING THE OXFAM REPORT AND WILL BE RESPONDING TO IT IN DUE COURSE. WE HAVE HOWEVER ALREADY STATED THAT THE SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATION REPEATED IN THIS REPORT FROM PREVIOUS ONES THAT REFUGEES FROM THE CLOSED CENTRES SHOULD BE ALLOWED OUT INTO OPEN CENTRES AFTER A PERIOD (5 YEARS OR LESS), AS IT WERE FOR GOOD BEHAVIOUR, IS NOT (NOT) ACCEPTABLE.
WILSON
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