CONFIDENTIAL
FM BANGKOK
TO ROUTINE HONG KONG
TELNO 6
OF 220845Z JULY 88
INFO ROUTINE F CO
CONFIDENTIAL
HKD 24318
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
22 JUL 1988
DESK OF FICSA
INDEX
KA
am
077464
MDLIAN 4547
TUR COPY Q DIST?
FOR CLIFT, POLITICAL ADVISER
HONG KONG EXTERNAL RELATIONS.
1.
I WAS DELIGHTED TO SEE FROM HONG KONG TELNO 2798
545
THAT THE UNHCR MEETING IN BANGKOK ON VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE
SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN BOTH USEFUL AND PRODUCTIVE.
2. I FULLY UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS ISSUE FOR HONG KONG
AND LISTENED WITH INTEREST TO THE GOVERNOR'S EFFECTIVE INTERVIEW ON THE BBC WORLD SERVICE. SO WHILE I UNDERSTAND
(PARAGRAPH 15 OF HONG KONG TELNO 2798) THAT HONG KONG HAS NO INTENTION OF LOSING SIGHT OF THEIR PARTICULAR INTERESTS, SINCE CLEARLY YOU HAVE YOUR OWN ROW TO HOE, I WOULD ASK YOU TO URGE THOSE CONCERNED WITH REFUGEE AFFAIRS IN HONG KONG TO PAUSE TO
CONSIDER THE BROADER UK-ASEAN RELATIONSHIP PARTICULARLY THE UK- THAI RELATIONSHIP, AND THE NEED TO BUILD ON THE ENCOURAGING COOPERATION AND COORDINATION WHICH HAS IN RECENT MONTHS DEVELOPED. THE RECENT ASEAN-EC POST MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
IN BANGKOK EXAMINED AT POLITICAL LEVEL THE REFUGEE PROBLEM AND I
THINK IT IMPORTANT THAT WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO PAY DUE WEIGHT
AND ATTENTION TO THESE BROADER CONCERS.
-
3. THE PROBLEM FOR THE THAIS OVER SCREENING IS I SUSPECT, THAT A MUCH LARGER PERCENTAGE (POSSIBLY 50 60 PERCENT)
MIGHT NEED TO BE GIVEN REFUGEE STATUS THAN IS THE CASE IN HONG KONG, WHERE ARRIVALS ARE MAINLY FISHERMEN AND PEASANTS FROM THE NORTH, WHEREAS IN THAILAND THEY ARE ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY FROM THE SOUTH AND PARTICULARLY FROM THE SAIGON AREA.
4.
MIGHT I ALSO MENTION OUR OWN PARTICULAR PROBLEM
IN BANGKOK OVER VISA AND CONSULAR PROBLEMS. AS YOU KNOW,
85 PER CENT OF OUR PRISONERS ARE FROM HONG KONG.
WE HAVE
BUT
A SKED THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT FOR ASSISTANCE IN COPING, HAVE BEEN TOLD VARIOUSLY THAT IT IS AWKWARD VIS-A-VIS CHINA
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