CONFIDNETIAL
FM UKMIS GENEVA
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 321
OF 091025Z JUNE
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
267
HKD 243/8
нит
CONFIDENTIAL
117260
MDHIAN 2657
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
YOUR TELNO 154: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE
SUMMARY
1.ACTION TAKEN WITH UNHCR.
PROMISED LATER THIS WEEK.
DETAIL
CAUTIOUS RESPONSE CONSIDERED REACTION
2. I CALLED ON HIGH COMMISSIONER
ACCOMPANIED BY HEAD OF CHANCERY.
FOR REFUGEES ON 9 JUNE,
I
SPOKE AS INSTRUCTED (HONG KONG
TELNO 2206 AS AMENDED BY TUR) AND LEFT A SPEAKING NOTE.
3. HOCKE EXPRESSED HIS GRATITUDE TO US FOR KEEPING UNHCR INFORMED
ABOUT EVOLVING POLICY IN HONG KONG. HE WISHED TO CONSIDER WHAT I
HAD SAID CAREFULLY AND UNDERTOOK TO LET US HAVE A FORMAL REPONSE
THIS WEEK.
4. HE COMMENTED THAT VIETNAMESE REFUGEE PROBLEM HAD TO BE SEEN AS A
WHOLE. ACTION IN ONE COUNTRY HAD IMPLICATIONS FOR ANOTHER. THE VIETNAMESE, DURING THEIR VISIT TO GENEVA EARLIER THIS MONTH DISCUSSIONS, HAD BEEN GIVEN THE CLEAR MESSAGE BY RE-SETTLEMENT COUNTRIES AND UNHCR THAT RETURN OF VIETNAM BOAT-PEOPLE WHO FAILED TO
MEET REFUGEE CRITERIA WAS AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT OF AN OVERALL
SOLUTION.
5. HE HAD ALSO MAKE IT CLEAR TO CO THACH (IN HIS LETTER BEFORE THE
ODP DISCUSSIONS) THAT UNHCR WISHED TO DISCUSS WITH VIETNAM
CONDITIONS FOR RETURN, SAFEGUARD GURANTEES AND THE POSIBILITY OF SOME LIMITED ASSISTANCE TO RETURNEES WITHIN THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITY.
HE HAD STRESSED TO THE VIETNAMESE THAT AN EARLY RESPONSE WOULD BE EXPECTED.
6. UNHCR RECOGNISED CURRENT DIFFICULTIES IN HONG KONG. THE REFUGEE
FLOW WAS EXCEPTIONAL. BUT INTRODUCITON OF SCREENING WOULD CAUSE
PROBLEMS IN ADVANCE OF AGREEMENT BY VIETNAM TO ACCEPT BACK THOSE SCREENED-OUT. INDEED, CLASSIFYING BOAT PEOPLE AS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS
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