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036140
MDHIAN 6571
HKD 243/8
RESC
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FM UKMIS GENEVA
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 381
OF 081445Z JULY 88
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
(Hob
YOUR TELNO 182: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE
IN
1 1 JUL 1988
CICEL
1. BEFORE RECEIPT OF YOUR TUR I HAD DISCUSSED POINTS IN PARA 2 WITH
HOCKE AT DINNER IN HIS HOUSE ON 5 JULY. IN PARTICULAR, I PRESSED
HIM HARD ON THE NEED TO SEND A REPRESENTATIVE TO HONG KONG WITHOUT
FURTHER DELAY. HEWITT HAS ALSO COVERED SAME ISSUES SEPARTELY WITH DEWEY AND VIEIRA DE MELLO, USING PARA 4 OF HONG KONG TELNO 2600.
2. HOCKE WAS VERY FORTHCOMING. HE SAID THAT BAYANDOR HAD REPORTED
FULLY ON THE MEETING IN LONDON ON 29 JUNE AND THAT A FIRM DECISION
TO SEND A UNHCR REPRESENTATIVE WOULD BE TAKEN IMMINENTLY.
3. UNHCR HAVE NOW DECIDED THAT BAYANDOR AND BARI WILL VISIT HONG
KONG ON 11/12 JULY FOR DISCUSSIONS WITH RELEVANT AUTHORITIES.
UNHCR TEAM WILL LEAVE GENEVA ON SUNDAY ARRIVING IN HONG KONG MONDAY AFTERNOON, 11 JULY.
4. UNHCR'S AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION IS MUCH AS IT WAS IN LONDON: CRITERIA FOR SCREENING, CAMP CONDITIONS, FUTURE OF THE SCREENED OUT, AND THE WORDING OF THE WARNING NOTICES. UNHCR SEE VISIT AS PRELIMINARY MISSION TO BE FOLLOWED UP BY MORE DETAILED TALKS, DEPENDING ON OUTCOME OF DISCUSSIONS.
5. BAYANDOR WILL LEAVE HONG KONG ON WEDNESDAY 13 JULY FOR HANOI.
COMMENT
6. UNHCR NOW RECOGNISE THAT TALKS WITH HONG KONG AUTHORITIES ARE
ESSENTIAL NEXT STEP. WHILE RECOGNISING THAT BROAD LINES OF NEW POLICY ARE IMMUTABLE, THEY HOPE THAT THERE CAN BE SOME FINE TUNING
IN SPECIFIC AREAS OF CONCERN TO THEM. THEY EXPECT QUESTION OF INCREASED UNHCR FUNDING OF REFUGEES IN HONG KONG TO BE RAISED BY HONG KONG, BUT HOPE THAT DISCUSSIONS CAN CONCENTRATE ON ISSUES MENTIONED IN PARA 4 ABOVE AT THIS STAGE, PARTICULARLY AS BAYANDOR IS NOT DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR FINANCIAL MATTERS.
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