CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 29120OZ FCO
TELNO 1627
OF 291025Z APRIL 88
INFO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA
HKD 243/8
CONFIDENTIAL
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
146100
MDHIAN 7681
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: MEETING OF LEGCO AD HOC GROUP
THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY MET MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AD HOC GROUP ON VIETNAMESE REFUGEES YESTERDAY (28 APRIL). AS REQUESTED BY THE AD HOC GROUP LAST OCTOBER, HE BRIEFED THEM ON DEVELOPMENTS DURING THE LAST SIX MONTHS ON INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS
TO OBTAIN THE AGREEMENT OF THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES TO ACCEPT
BACK TO VIETNAM NON-REFUGEE ECONOMIC MIGRANTS. HE ALSO BRIEFED
THEM ON THE LEGAL AND HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TO HONG KONG'S
POLICY OF FIRST ASYLUM FOR VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE.
2. BARNES CAREFULLY AVOIDED ANY REFERENCE TO SPECIFIC MEASURES
OR OPTIONS BEING CONSIDERED BY US TO DETER FURTHER ARRIVALS OF
BOAT PEOPLE FROM VIETNAM. THE AD HOC GROUP WAS HOWEVER BRIEFED
ON DEVELOPMENTS IN THAILAND AND OTHER COUNTRIES OF FIRST ASYLUM
IN THE REGION AND ON DISCUSSIONS WITH REFUGEE OFFICIALS IN
ASEAN COUNTRIES ON A COMMON REGIONAL APPROACH TO THE PROBLEM.
3. MRS FAN SUBSEQUENTLY SPOKE TO THE PRESS EXPRESSING THE AD HOC
GROUP'S DISAPPOINTMENT AT THE GOVERNMENT'S LACK OF PROGRESS AND
FAILURE TO MAKE ANY NEW PROPOSALS. SHE SAID THAT IN THE ABSENCE
OF ANY CONCRETE PROPOSALS FROM THE GOVERNMENT COUNCILLORS HAD
FORMULATED THEIR OWN POLICY (SEE BELOW) FOR WHICH THEY WOULD SEEK
THE SUPPORT OF OMELCO AND DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS.
4. THE AD HOC GROUP'S VIEW IS THAT, FROM A CHOSEN DATE, VIETNAMESE ARRIVALS SHOULD BE PLACED IN NEW CLOSED CAMPS SEPARATE FROM THE
REFUGEES ALREADY IN HONG KONG. THEY SHOULD BE HELD THERE WITHOUT
THE OPTION OF RESETTLEMENT IN THIRD COUNTRIES UNTIL IT IS POSSIBLE
TO REPATRIATE THEM TO VIETNAM. THE GROUP'S PROPOSAL IS MODELLED
IN THIALAND'S CHANGE OF POLICY SINCE MID-JANUARY, ALTHOUGH THEY
REITERATED THEIR COMMITMENT TO NO 'PUSH-OFFS'. THEY ALSO
REPEATED THEIR CALL THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE ACCOMMODATION, CARE AND MAINTENANCE OF
REFUGEES IN HONG KONG SHOULD BE REDUCED.
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CONFIDENTIAL