CONFIDENTIAL
HKD 243/8
5x3
075310
MDLIAN 4286
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 2793
OF 210845Z JULY 88
HANOI
AND TO PRIORITY
RECE
N
1988
INFO PRIORITY SINGAPORE, MANILA, JAKARTA, BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN INFO PRIORITY WASHINGTON, CANBERRA, OTTAWA, TOKYO, PEKING INFO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA, KUALA LUMPUR, BANGKOK
MY 2ND IPT: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: TALKS WITH VIETNAMESE.
FOLLOWING IS DRAFT SPEAKING NOTE:
·
1 THANKS FOR INVITATION AND ARRANGING EARLY TALKS. INTRODUCE MEMBERS
OF TEAM.
2. ALREADY MANY CONTACTS. SIR G HOWE'S DISCUSSION WITH FOREIGN
MINISTER CO THACH IN NEW YORK IN JUNE. MEETINGS BETWEEN MINISTRY AND
BRITISH AMBASSADOR AND CHARGE D'AFFAIRES.
3. ISSUE OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE LONG HISTORY. SERIOUS EFFECT ON
COUNTRIES IN REGION AND WORLD. CAUSED BY CONDITIONS IN VIETNAME.
4. RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUTFLOW FALLS ON VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT. NOT
FOR OTHER COUNTRIES OR GOVERNMENTS TO TELL VIETNAM HOW TO SOLVE
PROBLEMS. BUT NO QUESTION THAT VIETNAM'S STANDING IN INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY DEPENDS TO LARGE EXTENT ON GOVERNMENT BEING SEEN TO DEAL
WITH ISSUE. ALL VIETNAMS' NEIGHBOURS DIRECTLY AFFECTED.
5. PROBLEMS FOR HONG KONG ESPECIALLY ACUTE. HAVE BEEN FACING THESE
SINCE MID 70'S. HONG KONG'S PROBLEM OF SPACE AND FINANCIAL AND HUMAN
RESOURCES. CANNOT GO ON ACCOMMODATING ADDITIONAL BURDEN. FOR SOME
TIME NOW BOAT PEOPLE COMING TO HONG KONG HAVE HAD VIRTUALLY NO
RESETTLEMENT PROSPECTS.
6. RISE IN NUMBER OF BOAT PEOPLE SINCE MID 1987 HAS CREATED NEW CRISIS. A YEAR AGO THERE WERE 8,000 REFUGEES IN HONG KONG. PRESENT POPULATION (REFUGEES AND VIIS)
NUMBER ARRIVED THIS
IN JULY:..
YEAR...
FAR
IN JUNE:
·
.. ■
•
*
SO
7. FOR LONG EVIDENT THAT MOST BOAT PEOPLE WERE ECONOMIC MIGRANTS NOT
1
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