CONFIDENTIAL
心
161753
MDHIAN 1143
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 36
OF 031133Z JANUARY 90
HKB
243 15
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
24 JAN 1990
REGISTRY
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
РА
Action Taken
TOP Q. DI
INFO PRIORITY HANOI, UKMIS GENEVA
UKMIS (405) કવ
24319/
(516
OUR TELNOS 3893 AND 4134 OF 1989: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: 1990 STRATEGY
WE HAVE NOW PREPARED A DRAFT EXCO PAPER CONTAINING THE PROPOSALS IN TURS AND THE IDEA OF A SOUTH CHINA HOLDING CENTRE. WE PROPOSE TO SCREEN NEW ARRIVALS INITIALLY UNDER EXISTING LEGISLATION WITHOUT ANY REDUCTION OF THE STATUTORY PERIOD OF APPEALS. THIS WILL, HOWEVER, BE REVIEWED IN EARLY APRIL, DEPENDING UPON THE RATE OF NEW ARRIVALS. MORE IMMEDIATELY, WE SHALL START SCREENING NEW ARRIVALS THIS WEEK, PROBABLY AT GREEN ISLAND, AND AIM TO COMPLETE SCREENING/APPEALS FOR THE FIRST 100 BY EARLY MARCH.
2 *
THE EXCO PAPER WILL RECOMMEND THAT:
(A) NEW ARRIVALS SHOULD BE SCREENED WITH A VIEW TO AIMING TO REPATRIATING THOSE WHO ARE DEFINITIVELY SCREENED-OUT IN ABOUT SIX
WEEKS:
(B)
IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE SWIFT REPATRIATION OF NEW ARRIVALS THE POSSIBLE NEED TO SHORTEN THE STATUTORY PERIOD OF REVIEW SHOULD BE RE-EXAMINED IN EARLY APRIL:
(C) HMG/HKG SHOULD SEEK TO CONCLUDE AN AGREEMENT WITH THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT FOR A PROGRAMME OF REGULAR REPATRIATION OF NON-VOLUNTEERS. INCLUDING THE RETURN OF LARGER GROUPS BY SEA:
(D)
A SHIP SHOULD BE PROCURED FOR REPATRIATION SUBJECT TO THE SATISFACTORY CONCLUSION OF (C) AND TO APPROVAL OF FUNDS BY FINANCE COMMITTEE: AND TO APPROVAL OF FUNDS BY FINANCE COMMITTEE: AND
(E)
HMG/HKG SHOULD DISCUSS WITH THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A TRANSIT OR HOLDING CENTRE IN SOUTH CHINA.
3. ON THE NEED TO PROCURE A SHIP THE PAPER REPORTS THAT A SUITABLE VESSEL HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AND SHOULD BE AVAILABLE IN HONG IN APRIL 1990. IT COULD COMPLETE ROUND TRIPS TO HAIPHONG IN ABOUT 4 DAYS, CARRYING ABOUT 400 VBP ON EACH VOYAGE. THE ESTIMATED COST OF
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