RESTRICTED
RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG
TO ROUTINE FCO
TELNO 1866
OF 170645Z MAY 88
INFO ROUTINE UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON
них
243/7
rica
022530
MDLIAN 7922
TOP COPY DIST 7
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
DURING A STOPOVER IN HONG KONG ON 14 MAY, MR JIM TOWEY (STAFFER OF SENATOR HATFIELD) MET INFORMALLY WITH REFUGEE COORDINATOR.
2. TOWY SAID THAT SENATOR HATFIELD WAS CONCERNED ABOUT MAINTAINING THE PRINCIPLE OF FIRST ASYLUM FOR REFUGEES FROM VIETNAM, ALTHOUGH HE RECOGNISED THAT MANY OF THOSE ARRIVING IN HONG KONG IN RECENT YEARS DID NOT QUALIFY FOR RESETTLEMENT UNDER THE US PROGRAMME. HE EXPRESSED SUPPORT AND PRAISE FOR HONG KONG'S ''EXCELLENT HUMANITARIAN RECORD OF GRANTING FIRST ASYLUM TO THE BOAT PEOPLE AND WELCOMED OUR ASSURANCES THAT WE WOULD UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES CONSIDER PUSHING BOATS OFF.
3. HE SAID SENATOR HATFIELD WOULD BE PARTICIPATING AS A KEYNOTE SPEAKER IN THE IRAC CONFERENCE IN WASHINGTON AND LOOKED FORWARD TO MEETING THE HONG KONG DELEGATION.
4. TOWEY HAD RECENTLY VISITED VIETNAM AND CONFIRMED THAT THERE WAS DISRUPTION OF FOOD SUPPLIES AND POTENTIAL FAMINE CONDITIONS, PARTICULARLY IN THE NORTH.
WILSON
YYYY
DISTRIBUTION
121
ΜΑΙΝ
118
.VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HK
ECD (E)
LIMITED
SPD
HKD
FED
SEAD
NEWS
PAGE RESTRICTED
1
Page 165Page 166