CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA
TELNO 125
OF 031045Z MAY 88
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG
124
CONFIDENTIAL
HKD 243/8
156264 MDLOAN 7115
TOP COPY
DIST 7
YOUR TELNO 257: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE
1.
WE WERE GRATEFUL FOR THE COMMENTS IN YOUR TUR. WE WILL SEE
THAT THEY ARE DRAWN TO THE ATTENTION OF MINISTERS AT AN
APPROPRIATE STAGE.
HOWEVER, BEFORE WE DO SO, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE CLARIFICATION OF THE LAST SENTENCE OF PARA 4 OF TUR, WHICH SUGGESTS THAT YOU DO NOT FAVOUR ANY CHANGE AT ALL IN THE PRESENT POLICY.
AS YOU KNOW, THE VIEW OF OFFICIALS HERE IS THAT THE PRESENT POLICY IS RAPIDLY BECOMING UNTENABLE AND THAT SOME FAIRLY FUNDAMENTAL CHANGES ARE NEEDED. THE QUESTION IS WHAT THE ELEMENTS OF THE NEW POLICY SHOULD BE, AND IN PARTICULAR WHAT ROLE SCREENING SHOULD PLAY IN NEW POLICY. OUR PRESENT JUDGEMENT IS
THAT UNHCR WOULD PROBABLY ACQUIESCE IN A POLICY WHICH APPLIED UNHCR CRITERIA TO THE IDENTIFICATION OF GENUINE REFUGEES BUT
WOULD EXPRESS CONCERN ABOUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO THOSE SCREENED OUT.
HOWE
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
UND
41
ADDITIONAL
MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS
~~~~
DISTRIBUTION
42
LEGAL ADVISER
MR GILLMORE
MR MCLAREN
1
PAGE
CONFIDENTIAL