CONFIDENTIAL
HKD 243/15
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 2657
OF 11123OZ OCTOBER 88
INFO IMMEDIATE HANOI, UKMIS GENEVA
INFO ROUTINE BANGKOK, KUALA LUMPUR, SINGAPORE
·86
010071
MDHOAN 6416
FROM MCLAREN
MIPT: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG: SECOND ROUND OF TALKS WITH VIETNAM
DAY ONE: PRESENT SITUATION IN HONG KONG
SUMMARY
WE INFORM THE VIETNAMESE OF THE LATEST POSITION IN HONG
1.
KONG. DETAIL
2. BARNES SAID THAT WE WERE STILL VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE PRESSURES ON HONG KONG BROUGHT ABOUT BY THE VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE. THE PRESENT POPULATION, INCLUDING PRE AND POST 16 JUNE ARRIVALS, WAS 25,038. THIS WAS UP NEARLY 2,500, OR 10 PER CENT,
SINCE THE TWO SIDES HAD MET IN HANOI. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ARRIVALS THIS YEAR WAS NOW 17,528. IN AUGUST ALONE THERE HAD BEEN 2,375 ARRIVALS.
3. BY CONTRAST THERE HAD BEEN ONLY 368 ARRIVALS IN SEPTEMBER, ALL IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE MONTH. SINCE 14 SEPTEMBER THERE HAD BEEN NO ARRIVALS. ON THE OTHER HAND WE HAD HEARD REPORTS THAT PEOPLE WERE STILL ARRIVING IN OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE REGION. WE BELIEVED THAT THE DROP IN ARRIVALS IN HONG KONG WAS DUE TO A VARIETY OF FACTORS. WE HOPED THAT ONE OF THESE WAS THE EFFORT MADE IN VIETNAM TO STOP THE OUTFLOW. 4. SINCE WE HAD LAST MET IN HANOI IN AUGUST THERE HAD BEEN THREE OTHER SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS IN HONG KONG. FIRST, THE HKG
THIS AND UNHCR HAD AGREED A STATEMENT OF UNDERSTANDING. ESTABLISHED A CLEAR BASIS FOR THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO SCREEN BOAT PEOPLE WHO ARRIVED AFTER 16 JUNE. IT CONFIRMED THAT THE PROCEDURES WHICH WOULD BE USED MET ALL INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS AND REQUIREMENTS. MORE SPECIFICALLY IT COVERED ACCESS TO BOAT PEOPLE BY UNHCR OFFICIALS AND LEGAL ADVISERS. IT ALSO COVERED SUCH THINGS AS THE SERVICES WHICH SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR THE BOAT PEOPLE. IT DEALT WITH MATTERS OF FUNDING BETWEEN THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND UNHCR.
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