CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
CONFIDENTIAL
HKB 243/4
Hony Kay / Govorner
Attitudes
3
054264 MDHIAN 4050
૪
TELNO 1480
OF 101015Z MAY 89
INFO IMMEDIATE
UKMIS
GENEVA
INFO PRIORITY WASHINGTON, HANOI, HANOI, PEKING, SINGAPORE
INFO PRIORITY KUALA LUMPUR, BANGKOK, BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, JAKARTA INFO PRIORITY MANILA
2
MY TELNO 1471 (NOT TO ALL) AND UKMIS GENEVA TELNO 240 : VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE
OVER THE PAST FEW DAYS I HAVE TALKED PRIVATELY TO A NUMBER OF RESPONSIBLE AND THOUGHTFUL MEMBERS OF LEGCO ABOUT THE MOUNTING VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE PROBLEM AND HOW TO KEEP THE POLITICS OF THE SITUATION HERE UNDER CONTROL.
2.
THE UNANIMOUS ADVICE I RECEIVE IS THAT, ALTHOUGH A LEGCO DEBATE ON 17 MAY WILL DOUBTLESS PRODUCE SOME HARSH WORDS, THE PROBLEM IS MANAGEABLE IN LEGCO TERMS SO LONG AS THERE IS AN IMMINENT PROSPECT OF THE GENEVA CONFERENCE PRODUCING A VIABLE LONG TERM SOLUTION. (THIS IS NOT A COMMENT ON IMMEDIATE PROBLEMS OF ACCOMMODATION OR GRASS ROOTS REACTIONS TO THEM, BOTH OF WHICH ARE ALREADY ACUTE: NEARLY 450 BOAT PEOPLE ARRIVED YESTERDAY 9 MAY). IF, HOWEVER, THE GENEVA CONFERENCE DOES NOT/NOT PRODUCE VIABLE SOLUTIONS, AND IF THE INFLUX CONTINUES AT ANYTHING LIKE THE PRESENT RATE, THEN THE ADVICE IS THAT THERE WILL BE MASSIVE PRESSURE TO END THE POLICY OF FIRST ASYLUM. THIS WILL BE COUPLED WITH A STRONG LIKELIHOOD THAT LEGCO FINANCE COMMITTEE WILL VOTE AGAINST ANY FURTHER FUNDS FOR VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE.
3.
THESE VIEWS ARE REALISTIC.
THEY NEED TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY.
4. WITH THIS BACKGROUND I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE REACTION OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES REPORTED IN UKMIS GENEVA TUR. THE PRESSURES HERE SIMPLY DO NOT ALLOW FOR SUCH A SLOW MOVING APPROACH ON EITHER THE BOAT PEOPLE PROBLEM AS A WHOLE OR THE IDEA OF A REGIONAL HOLDING CENTRE IN PARTICULAR. VIEIRA DE MELLO, HEAD OF THE UNHCR ASIA BUREAU, CAME TO SEE ME TODAY. I LAID OUT IN CLEAR TERMS (REPORT BY SEPARATE TELEGRAM) THE CRISIS WE NOW FACE AND THE NEED FOR URGENT ACTION TO DETER DEPARTURES AND TO PUT IN PLACE ARRANGEMENTS FOR REPATRIATION. I EXPLAINED THAT, IF IMMEDIATE
PAGE
1
CONFIDENTIAL