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CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 301230Z FCO
TELNO 1750
OF 301125Z MAY 89
INFO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON, PEKING
INFO PRIORITY HANOI
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137321
MDHIAN 6882
MIPT: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: EXCO MESSAGE TO MINISTERS
I AM UNDER NO/NO ILLUSIONS ABOUT THE DIFFICULTY OF WHAT EXCO HAS REQUESTED. IT IS HOWEVER AN ACCURATE MEASURE OF THE VERY SERIOUS SITUATION WE NOW FACE.
2. IF OUR PRESENT PRACTICE OF CONTINUING TO ALLOW VIETNAMESE BOATS TO LAND IN HONG KONG IS TO LAST EVEN AS LONG AS THE GENEVA CONFERENCE, SOME MAJOR MOVE IS URGENTLY REQUIRED. A HOLDING CENTRE TO PROVIDE FOR SOME 15000 PEOPLE IS ONE OF THE FEW POSSIBLE OPTIONS. PEOPLE WOULD HAVE TO BE MOVED THERE FAST IF THERE IS TO BE ANY IMPACT ON THE ACUTE ACCOMMODATION PROBLEM HERE.
3. HONG KONG IS BEING SHAKEN SIMULTANEIOUSLY BY EVENTS IN CHINA AND MOUNTING PROBLEM WITH VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE. THE FORMER HAS TEMPORARILY OBSCURED THE LATTER. BUT NOT FOR LONG. AS IT BECOMES CLEARER THAT IN PEKING THE HARD LINERS HAVE WON, FOR THE MOMENT AT LEAST, THERE WILL BE INCREASING DISILLUSIONMENT HERE. I EXPECT ATTENTION TO TURN WITH MOUNTING FRUSTRATION AND BITTERNESS TO THE VIETNAMESE ISSUE. A RELATIVELY SMALL ITME OF EXPENDITURE ON REFUGEE APPEAL (HKD15 M RISING TO HKD24M) HAS TO GO TO FINANCE COMMITTEE TOMORROW. THAT IS LIKELY TO TRIGGER FURTHER PRESSURE FOR A SOLUTION.
4. IF THE UK COULD MAKE A MAJOR GESTURE BY PROVIDING IMMEDIATE, ALBEIT TEMPORARY, ACCOMMODATION FOR REFUGEES NOW IN HONG KONG, THERE WOULD BE A SIGNIFICANTLY HELPFUL EFFECT ON LOCAL MORALE AND ON ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE ISSUE. THE UPSURGE OF ANTAGONISM TOWARDS THE BOAT PEOPLE WHICH I ANTICIPATE COULD BE STEMMED.
5. IF THE UK CANNOT HELP IN PROVIDING FACILITIES FOR A
MAJOR HOLDING CENTRE, I SEE IT AS URGENTLY NECESSARY TO MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO SET UP SUCH A CENTRE IN EITHER THE PHILIPINES OR INDONESIA. I MUST HOWEVER WARN THAT EVEN REMOVING 14300
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