·
CONFIDENTIAL
1607
MDHIAN 4319
ON THE HILL AS FORCIBLE REPATRIATION TO VIETNAM: SO THE ADMINISTRATION'S ROOM FOR MANEOUVRE IN THE TWO CASES IS SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT. WE ALSO NEED TO BE READY TO COUNTER ANY US SUGGESTION THAT THE PROBLEMS ARISING ON THE US/MEXICAN BORDER HAVE AN EFFECT ON THEIR CAPACITY TO HELP US OVER RESETTLEMENT OF REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG, GIVEN THE SMALL PROPORTION OF OVERALL US IMMIGRATION REPRESENTED BY VIETNAMESE REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG. 4. ANOTHER PROBLEM IS HOW TO BRING OUR POINTS TO BEAR EFFECTIVELY WITHIN THE US ADMINISTRATION. THE PROBLEMS IN TEXAS ARE BEING DEALT WITH BY THE INS AS AN IMMIGRATION ISSUE. AS SUCH THEY ARE NOT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT, WHO TAKE THE LEAD ON REFUGEE ISSUES. BUT AS SEEN FROM HERE, THERE IS A USEFUL PARALLEL TO BE MADE BETWEEN THE TWO CASES, PARTICULARLY IF THE AMERICANS PERSIST IN CRITICISING HONG KONG'S SCREENING POLICY. ONE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO WOULD BE WITH MOORE IN THE MARGINS OF THE ICG MEETING IN KUALA LUMPUR.
5. WE WOULD NOT PROPOSE TO DEPLOY THESE POINTS IN PUBLIC. TO DO SO WOULD INCREASE THE TEMPERATURE CONSIDERABLY, AND WE FACE ONLY INTERMITTENT PUBLIC CRITICISM ON THE SCREENING POLICY AT PRESENT.
ACLAND
YYYY
MAIN
.HUMAN RIGHTS
LIMITED
MCAD
UND
HKD
ECD (E)
NAD
APD
WED
DEFENCE
SOVIET
98
CSCE UNIT
NCAD
LEGAL ADVISERS
PLANNERS
DISTRIBUTION
99
PS/MR EGGAR
PS/LD GLENARTHUR
PS/MR WALDEGRAVE
PS/PUS
PS/SIR J FRETWELL
MR GILLMORE
MR BOYD
MR BAYNE
MR SLATER
MR RATFORD
MR FEARN
MR MCLAREN
MR GOULDEN
MR MCLAREN
MISS PESTELL
PAGE
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CONFIDENTIAL