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FM FCO
TO
IMMEDIATE HANOI
TELNO 126
OF 07170OZ APRIL 89
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
INFO ROUTINE UKMIS
GENEVA
MKD 2431
TOP COPY Q.. DIST ?
132314 MDHOAN 8792
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: CALL BY VIETNAMESE AMBASSADOR
1.
MCLAREN TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY OF THE VIETNAMESE AMBASSADOR'S CALL ON 6 APRIL (SEE MIPT, NOT TO ALL) TO UNDERLINE OUR GROWING CONCERN ABOUT THE BOAT PEOPLE SITUATION IN HONG KONG. HE SAID THAT
THE NUMBERS OF NEW ARRIVALS IN HONG KONG WAS UP BY MORE THAN 60 PER CENT COMPARED WITH THE SAME PERIOD IN 1988. GIVEN PAST EXPERIENCE
WE COULD EXPECT A FURTHER LARGE INFLUX DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS UNLESS URGENT STEPS WERE TAKEN. THIS WOULD CREATE A REAL CRISIS.
DESPITE THE MEASURES WE AND THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT HAD INDRODUCED, THE MESSAGE WAS STILL NOT GETTING ACROSS TO PROSPECTIVE BOAT PEOPLE THAT IT WAS FUTILE TO SET OUT FOR HONG
KONG. IT WAS REGRETTABLE THAT SOME VIETNAMESE OFFICIALS STILL APPEARED TO BE ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN ENCOURAGING DEPARTURES.
2.
TRAN VAN HUNG AGREED THAT THE FIGURES WERE ALARMING. THE
VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT WAS ANXIOUS TO COOPERATE FULLY IN RESOLVING THE PROBLEM, AS THEY HAD DEMONSTRATED OVER THE FIRST BATCH OF VOLUNTARY RETURNEES. HONG KONG'S SCREENING POLICY WAS A TOUGH ONE. THE VIETNAMESE SIDE HAD ALSO TAKEN A NUMBER OF MEASURES TO
DETER CLANDESTINE DEPARTURES. BUT IT WAS NOT EASY TO ENSURE THAT
JUNIOR OFFICIALS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL WERE DOING ALL THEY SHOULD IN
THIS REGARD.
3. MCLAREN REPEATED THAT WE WERE GRATEFUL FOR VIETNAMESE
COOPERATION. BUT THEY SHOULD BE IN NO DOUBT THAT IF THE PRESENT
TREND IN HONG KONG CONTINUED THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE IN JUNE WOULD TAKE PLACE IN AN ATMOSPHERE OF CRISIS. FEELINGS WERE
RUNNING HIGH IN HONG KONG WHERE THE TREATMENT OF VIETNAMESE BOAT
PEOPLE WAS COMPARED ADVERSELY WITH THE MANNER IN WHICH OTHER
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WERE DEALT WITH. PRESSURE FOR NON-VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION WOULD INEVITABLY INCREASE. THE BOAT PEOPLE ISSUE
WAS A MATTER OF GREAT CONCERN TO HMG AND LORD GLENARTHUR WOULD BE
RAISING IT DURING HIS FORTHCOMING VISIT TO VIETNAM. TRAN VAN
HUNG TOOK NOTE AND UNDERTOOK TO REPORT WHAT MCLAREN HAD SAID.
HOWE
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