CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 2391
OF 220930Z JUNE 88
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
CONFIDENTIAL
HKD 343/8
JUR
TOP
372
161523
MDHIAN 4373
see
PEKING PLEASE PASS TO LORD GLENARTHUR'S PARTY
MIPT: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: LORD GLENARTHUR'S VISIT TO HONG KONG
1. MRS RITA FAN CALLED YESTERDAY TO BRIEF ME ON HER RECENT VISIT
TO THE US. SHE TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO WARN ME THAT WHEN LORD GLENARTHUR MET OMELCO ON 30 JUNE, MEMBERS WERE LIKELY TO PRESS HIM ON THREE POINTS:
(A) THE PROSPECTS OF FURTHER RESETTLEMENT BY HMG:
(B) WHAT HMG WAS DOING TO PERSUADE THE VIETNAMESE TO ACCEPT REPATRIATION OF THOSE CLASSIFIED AS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS:
(C) WHAT ACTION HMG WAS TAKING TO PRESS THE UNHCR TO ACCEPT A
GREATER SHARE OF THE COST OF LOOKING AFTER VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG, FOLLOWING THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S PROMISE THAT HE WOULD LOOK INTO THIS.
O
2. YOU WILL NO DOUBT WISH TO CONSIDER WHAT LINE LORD GLENARTHUR SHOULD TAKE ON THESE POINTS, WHICH ARE ALSO LIKELY TO BE RAISED IN HIS PRESS CONFERENCE ON 1 JULY I DOUBT MYSELF IF THE LINE IN PARAGRAPH 7 OF YOUR TELNO 1604 WILL SATISFY EITHER OMELCO OR THE
PRESS. WHAT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR IS FOR HMG TO TAKE A LEAD. THEY
RECOGNISE THAT THIS MAY WELL INVOLVE THE PROVISION
OF SOME KIND OF ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE AND THAT POSITIVE ACTION WILL
BE NEEDED TO OVERCOME THE RELUCTANCE OF WESTERN COUNTRIES TO
PROVIDE THIS WHILE VIETNAMESE TROOPS ARE IN CAMBODIA.
WILSON
YYYY