CONFIDENTIAL
176157
MDLIAN 6594
STATED IN PARA 3 OF OUR TELNO 17. WE HAVE HOWEVER CONFIRMED THAT IT
IS OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE IS NO (NO) LEGALLY ENFORCEABLE OBLIGATION ON HONG KONG OR ANY OTHER TERRITORY TO GRANT ASYLUM TO
REFUGEES. WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR AN EARLY SUBSTANTIVE VIEWS
EXPRESSED IN BERMAN'S MINUTE OF 11 FEBRUARY 1988.
6. OUR INITIAL VIEW IS THAT IT WOULD BE BOTH IMPRACTICABLE AND
MORALLY UNACCEPTABLE FOR HONG KONG TO CEASE TO GRANT FIRST ASYLUM
TO BOAT PEOPLE FROM VIETNAM. PUSHING BOATS OFF AND CONDMNING THEIR
OCCUPANTS TO PROBABLE DEATH BY DROWNING IN THE OPEN SEAS WOULD
ATTRACT UNDERSTANDABLY STRONG ADVERSE REACTIONS FROM LOCAL AND
INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN GROUPS, AND WOULD BE CONDEMNED AS INHUMANE BY THE UNHCR AND THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AT LARGE. RECEIVE ING
BOAT PEOPLE AND TREATING THEM AS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WOULD ALSO BE
UNACCEPTABLE ON HUMANITARIAN GROUNDS AND NO MORE EFFECTIVE IN ITS
PRIME AIM OF DETERRING FURTHER ARRIVALS THAN CLOSED CAMPS UNLESS THEY COULD BE RETURNED TO VIETNAM. BY THE SAME TOKEN, IT IS CLEARLY
NOT (NOT) YET POSSIBLE TO INTRODUCE SCREENING BECAUSE OF THE
IMPOSSIBILITY FOR THE TIME BEING OF RETURNING TO VIETNAM UNDER
SUITABLE CONDITIONS THOSE SCREENED OUT AS NON-REFUGEES.
FORD
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
118
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HK
LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
UND
LEGAL ADVISERS
WED
SED
PUS D
E CD (I)
ADDITIONAL
3
DISTRIBUTION
121
ECD (E)
SPD
FED
NEWS
PS/LORD GLENARTHUR
PS MR EGGAR
PS/PUS
MR GILLMORE
MR SLATER
MR MCLAREN
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