HKD 24318
RESTRICTED
363)
RESTRICTED
FM DUBLIN
TO ROUTINE FCO
TELNO 324
OF 21105OZ JUNE 88
AMENDED DISTRIBUTION 22/6
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG, HANOI, UKMIS GENEVA
INFO SAVING EC POSTS
285
161366
MDLIAN 7096
TOP COPY a VIST ?
YOUR TELNO 122 TO ATHENS: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG
NA
1. WE TOOK ACTION WITH MARY BARRINGTON, COUNSELLOR IN THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS. HER IMMEDIATE AND PERSONAL REACTION WAS TO SAY
THAT WHILST SHE HAD GREAT SYMPATHY FOR HONG KONG'S PROBLEM (HAVING
VISITED THE REFUGEE CAMPS) AND OUR POLITICAL PREDICAMENT SHE DID NOT
THINK THAT THE IRISH GOVERNMENT COULD BE SEEN TO SUPPORT PUBLICLY A
POLICY WHICH WOULD INVOLVE SENDING BACK REFUGEES TO VIETNAM.
2. MS BARRINGTON ALSO SAID THAT IT WAS MOST UNLIKELY THAT THE IRISH
GOVERNMENT WOULD ACCEPT ANY MORE REFUGEES FOR RESETTLEMENT OTHER THAN
RELATIVES OF VIETNAMESE ALREADY IN IRELAND COUR TELNO 234 OF 24 JUNE 1987 REFERS).
3. MS BARRINGTON HAS NOW CONFIRMED TO US THAT HER PERSONAL THOUGHTS
WERE A REFLECTION OF CURRENT OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT POLICY.
THORP
YYYY
DISTRIBUTION
128
ΜΑΙΝ
125
.VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HK
SPD
LIMITED
FED
HKD
NEWS
SEAD
UND
LEGAL ADVISERS
WED
SED
PUSD
PS
PS/LORD GLENARTHUR
PS MR EGGAR
PS/PUS
MR GILLMORE
MR SLATER
MR MCLAREN
ECD (I)
E CD (E)