CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 3066
OF 171115Z AUGUST 88
INFO IMMEDIATE UKMIS
GENEVA
CONFIDENTIAL
HKD 24318
RECE
DES
INDEX
17 AUG 1988
PA
TOP COPY
A DIST ?
en
(66)
170446 MDHIAN 0546
олу
INFO PRIORITY HANOI, WASHINGTON, BANGKOK, PEKING,
INFO PRIORITY TOKYO
MIPT : VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG
SECOND TUR HAS CAUSED US SOME CONCERN IN THAT DE MELLO SEEMS
TO BE SUGGESTING (PARA 3) THAT THE UNHCR SHOULD NOT PLAY A ROLE IN
THE SCREENING AND APPEALS PROCEDURES IN HONG KONG. THE UNHCR LOCALLY
(PRESUMABLY ACTING WITHIN INSTRUCTIONS FROM GENEVA) HAVE TAKEN A MORE
CONSTRUCTIVE LINE AND AS WE HAVE SAID IN MIFT WE THINK THEY ARE
CLOSE TO AN AGREEMENT ON THEIR PARTICIPATION. KARIM (CHARGE' DE
MISSION) HAS ACCEPTED THAT THOSE SCREENED OUT HAVE A RIGHT TO CALL ON THE HIGH COMMISSIONER'S PROTECTION, AND HAS SAID THAT GENEVA IS CONSIDERING HOW TO MAKE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO ENABLE UNHCR TO PLAY
A FULL ROLE IN SCREENING AND THE APPEALS PROCEDURE.
2. WE WOULD BE CONCERNED IF DE MELLO'S REMARKS ON A TIMETABLE FOR
AN UNGA RESOLUTION WERE TO BE TAKEN TO MEAN THAT HE WOULD ADVISE
AGAINST PARTICIPATION IN SCREENING OR THE REPATRIATION ARRANGEMENTS
UNTIL AFTER THE HIGH COMMISSIONER'S MANDATE HAD BEEN EXTENDED. WE WOULD HAVE TO OPPOSE STRONGLY ANY SUGGESTION AND AN ARRANGEMENT FOR
THE REPATRIATION OF VIIS FROM HONG KONG HAD TO BE HELD UP PENDING
THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MULTILATERAL ARRANGEMENT TO INCLUDE, FOR EXAMPLE, THAILAND AND MALAYSIA.
3. WE AGREE WITH DE MELLO'S REPORTED COMMENT THAT QUOTE ESTABLISHING
A PACKAGE WITH THE VIETNAMESE WOULD BE THE FIRST AND MORE IMPORTANT TASK UNQUOTE BUT WE THINK THAT THIS WILL HARDLY BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT
UNHCR INVOLVEMENT. WE FEAR THAT PROGRESS WILL BE SLOWER AND LESS
CERTAIN IF IT IS TO BE A MULTILATERAL PACKAGE.
FORD
YYYY