CONFIDENTIAL
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MDHIAN 2656
BEFORE THE AUTUMN.THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY WAS NON-COMMITTAL ON THIS POINT IN HIS MEETING WITH LEGCO MEMBERS ON 25 APRIL, ADDING THAT HE HOPED THERE WOULD NOT/NOT BE A NEED TO SEEK FURTHER FUNDS BEFORE THE GENEVA CONFERENCE IN JUNE. IF WE HAVE TO SEEK FURTHER FUNDS WITHOUT ARRANGEMENTS IN PLACE FOR REPATRIATION OF THOSE SCREENED OUT, THE POLITICAL DIFFICULTIES ARE ALL TOO EASY TO FORESEE.
5. WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN LOBBYING LEGCO MEMBERS INTENSIVELY AND WILL
CONTINUE TO DO SO BETWEEN NOW AND 3 MAY. IN DOING SO WE ARE EMPHASIZING THE RECENT UK PLEDGE FOR PILLAR POINT AND THE NEED TO CONSIDER THE PRESENT REQUEST IN THE CONTEXT OF THE JUNE CONFERENCE.
6. I BELIEVE WE WILL SUCCEED IN OBTAINING APPROVAL FOR THE FUNDS NEXT WEDNESDAY. IT IS DIFFICULT AT THIS STAGE TO GUESS HOW THE VOTING WILL GO. SOME MEMBERS WILL CERTAINLY VOTE AGAINST AND OTHERS WILL
ABSTAIN: BUT WE SHOULD SECURE A MAJORITY IN FAVOUR. WE MAY BE ABLE
TO MAKE A MORE ACCURATE ASSESSMENT OF THE OUTCOME NEARER THE DATE.
7. THIS WHOLE EPISODE UNDERLINES THE POINT, MADE MANY TIMES FROM HERE OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS, THAT THE PROBLEM OF CONTINUING ARRIVALS OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT
TO HANDLE. SIMPLY MAKING PRACTICAL ARRANGEMENTS TO LOOK AFTER NEW ARRIVALS, AND GETTING THE RESOURCES TO DO SO, IS TAKING AN IMMENCE AMOUNT OF THE ADMINISTRATION'S TIME AND POLITICAL EFFORT. THAT IS
WHY EFFECTIVE ARRANGEMENTS FOR RESETTLEMENT AND REPATRIATION MUST BE
SUCH A HIGH PRIORITY.
WILSON
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
96
DISTRIBUTION
102
.VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HK
LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
UND
LEGAL ADVISERS
PAGE
NEWS
PS
PS/LORD GLENARTHUR
PS/MR PATTEN ODA
PS MR EGGAR PS/PUS
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CONFIDENTIAL