UNCLASSIFIED
FM FCO
UNCLASSIFIED
43/8
HKC243 MKC 243/8
CO JUNI
406
TO
177775
MDLOAN 3885
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
TELNO 1684
OF 27150OZ JUNE 88
INFO ROUTINE UKMIS GENEVA, HANOI, BANGKOK, KUALA LUMPUR INFO ROUTINE WASHINGTON, CANBERRA, OTTAWA, TOKYO
INFO SAVING EC POSTS, STOCKHOLM, OSLO, HELSINKI, WELLINGTON
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG: ARTICLE IN INTERNATIONAL
HERALD TRIBUNE ON 24 JUNE.
1. IN CASE YOU HAVE NOT SEEN IT, WE ARE SENDING BY FAX ΤΟ GOVERNMENT HOUSE (AND BY BAG TO FRENCH) A COPY OF AN ARTICLE
BY ELIZABETH BECKER IN THE INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE ON 24
JUNE ENTITLED QUOTE SOUTHEAST ASIA: DON'T FORGET THE VICTIMS UNQUOTE.
2.
...
THE ARTICLE TAKES A VERY POSITIVE LINE ON THE NEW POLICY TOWARDS VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE, WHICH IT DESCRIBES AS QUOTE TOUGH MINDED BUT HUMANE UNQUOTE AND QUOTE A MORAL BRAKE ON CRUEL
PRACTICES THAT ..
WERE LEADING TO THE DESPAIR AND DEATH OF MORE REFUGEES UNQUOTE. BY RAISING THE ISSUE OF REPATRIATION, THE
POLICY IS QUOTE A BRIDGE TO A NEW ERA UNQUOTE. THE ARTICLE IS
CRITICAL OF WHAT IT SEES UNHCR'S INACTIVITY: QUOTE HOCKE SHOULD
BE REMINDING EVERYONE OF HIS RESPONSBILITIES AND OFFERING
PROGRESSIVE ALTERNATIVES RATHER THAN REPEATING FAILED SOLUTIONS...
HONG KONG HAS GIVEN UNHCR A CHANCE TO RECOUP ITS LEADERSHIP ROLE AND ENCOURAGE ALL SOUTH EAST NATIONS TO FOLLOW ITS EXAMPLE UNQUOTE. ON REPATRIATION OF ECONOMIC MIGRANTS,
THE ARTICLE DRAWS A PARALLEL BETWEEN QUOTE
A YOUNG MAN FROM NORTHERN VIETNAM LOOKING FOR A BETTER JOB AND
HIS ILLEGAL MEXICAN COUNTERPART IN THE US UNQUOTE.
4.
WE COULD NOT HAVE ASKED FOR MUCH BETTER THAN THIS: IT IS
PARTICULARLY WELCOME THAT AN ARTICLE ON THESE LINES SHOULD HAVE
APPEARED IN A PAPER OF THE HERALD TRIBUNE'S INTERNATIONAL STANDING.
HOWE
YYYY