SECRET
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 1829
OF 13100OZ MAY 88
INFO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA
SECRET
a DIST 7
TOP COPY
HUD 243/8
161
012775
MDLIAN 7226
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE : OPERATION WATCHMAN
UKMIS GENEVAL TELNO 245
-
YOUR TELNO 1008 :
fga
MUST BE REDUCED. SOME
FOR ADDITIONAL
DESPITE THE CONSIDERATIONS MENTIONED IN YOUR TUR, WE HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO RAISE THE QUESTION OF FUNDING NOW. MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL ARE ADAMANT THAT THE BURDEN ON THE HONG KONG TAXPAYER OF
KEEPING VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG
MEMBERS HAVE THREATENED TO OPPOSE PROPOSALS EXPENDITURE ON, FOR EXAMPLE, THE NEW CLOSED CENTRE OR THE REPLACEMENT OPEN CENTRE AND ARE CHALLENGING THE EXISTING LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT
EXPENDITURE ON SERVICES FOR REFUGEES. WE WOULD NOT INCIDENTALLY
ACCEPT THAT THE COST OF DETAINING NEW ARRIVALS (WHETHER SCREENED
OR NOT) SHOULD AUTOMATICALLY BE BORNE BY HONG KONG. UNHCR IS AFTER
ALL FUNDING THE DETENTION CAMP FOR VIETNAMESE ARRIVALS AT SITE 2
ON THE THAI-CAMBODIAN BORDER. HOWEVER THERE MAY WELL BE
PRESENTATIONAL ADVANTAGES IN DETAINING THOSE SCREENED OUT AS
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS IN GOVERNMENT DETENTION CENTRES.
2. AS STATED IN OUR TELNO 1759 WE WOULD AIM TO LIBERALISE THE STATUS
OF THE RESIDENTS OF EXISTING CLOSED CENTRES GRADUALLY AND WOULD
EXPECT UNHCR TO MANAGE THEIR FUTURE ACCOMMODATION. THIS WOULD
INVOLVE THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW OPEN CENTRES FOR THE EXISTING
CASELOAD (AND THOSE SUBSEQUENTLY SCREENED IN AS REFUGEES) AS THE
EXISTING CLOSED CENTRES AT HEI LING CHAU AND CHI MA WAN COULD NOT
PRACTICALLY BE MADE OPEN CAMPS.
3. WE ARE AWARE OF THE UNHCR VIEW THAT HONG KONG'S ABILITY TO PAY
IS RELEVANT. BUT THE REAL POINT HERE IS NOT THE STRENGTH OF THE HONG KONG ECONOMY, BUT RATHER OUR UNWILLINGNESS TO TAKE DRASTIC MEASURES LIKE PUSHING OFF BOATS IF OUR DEMANDS ARE NOT MET. IT
IS MISLEADING TO CLAIM AS HOMANN-HERIMBERG APPARENTLY
DID (UKMIS TELNO 245) THAT A REQUEST FOR GREATER UNHCR FUNDING
FOR HONG KONG WOULD (QUOTE) AFFECT THE ATTITUDES OF POTENTIAL
RESSETTLEMENT COUNTRIES (UNQUOTE). ON RECENT PAST PERFORMANCE
SUCH ATTITUDES HAVE NOT RESULTED IN A LEVAL OF RESTTLEMENT WHICH GENUINELY EASES OUR SITUATION.
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