CONFIDENTIAL
404
CONFIDENTIAL
DIST P MKD 243 8
175704 MDHIAN 5032
FM UKMIS GENEVA
TO DESKBY 27130OZ FCO
TELNO 350
OF 271117Z JUNE
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, PEKING (FOR PS/LORD GLENARTHUR)
OUR TELNO 344 HOT TO HONG KONG) AND TELECON WALKER/FOOTMAN (HKD): UNHCR MISSION TO LONDON ON VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG.
1. HOCKE HAS ASSIGNED BAYANDOR CHEAD OF SE ASIA DESK, ASIA BUREAU) AND BARI CHEAD OF GENERAL LEGAL ADVICE SECTION, DIVISION OF REFUGEE LAW AND DOCTRINE) TO UNDERTAKE MISSION TO LONDON, AS FORESHADOWED IN TUR, ON 29 JUNE. BAYANDOR HAS ASKED FOR MEETING WITH HEADS OF FCO DEPARTMENTS INVOLVED. (HKD, SEAD AND UND). ETA HEATHROW FOR UNHCR TEAM IS 0900 HOURS ON 29 JUNE.
2. COMMENT. BOTH BAYANDOR AND BARI ARE WELL-KNOWN TO US. THEY USUALLY TAKE A HARD AND UNCOMPRISING LINE. BARI IS ONE OF MAIN EXPONENTS OF UNHCR'S ATTEMPT TO EXTEND HIGH COMMISSIONER'S MANDATE UNILATERALLY TO COVER PERSONS OUTSIDE THE 1951/1967 CRITERIA QUOTE OF CONCERN TO UNHCR UNQUOTE, BOTH IN RELATION TO VIETNAMESE REFUGEES (ON THE BASIS OF THE 1975 UNGA RESOLUTION) AND ASYLUM SEKERS IN
EUROPE.
3. IT SEEMS NO ACCIDENT THAT THE HIGH COMMISSIONER IS SENDING A TEAM OF KNOWN HARDLINERS RATHER THAN DEWEY (DEPUTY HIGH COMMISSIONER) WHO
IS LOYAL TO HOCKE BUT UNDERSTANDING OF OUR POSITION OR VIEIRA DE
MELLO (ASIA BUREAU DIRECTOR) WHO HAS BEEN IN SE ASIA FOR THE LAST THREE WEEKS. LATTER WAS INFLUENTIAL IN UNHCR'S INITIAL AND MODERATE REACTION COUR TELNO 304) ON HONG KONG POLICY OPTIONS, WHICH WERE NOT FULLY REFLECTED IN SUBSEQUENT EXCHANGES.
4.
WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU GIVE A POLITE HEARING TO BAYANDOR AND BARI BUT GIVE NO HOPE THAT WE ARE READY TO REVERSE OUR DECISIONS. WE HAVE SO FAR SUCCESSFULLY DEFENDED OUR POSITION HERE, AND HAVE SECURED THE GENERAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE AUSTRALIAN, US AND CANADIAN MISSIONS, WHICH WE HOPE TO SEE REFLECTED AT THE INFORMAL EXCOM ON 30 JUNE.
VEREKER
YYYY
1
PAGE
CONFIDENTIAL