Foreign and Commonwealth Office
London SW1A 2AH
Peter Wrench Esq
Bl Div
Home Office
Lunar House
Telephone 01-
270 2651
Your reference
Our reference
Date
SIPAHK
19 February 1990
Dear Peter,
HKB 243/5
RECEIVED IN REGUTRY
07 MAR 1990
HONG KONG: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: SCREENING ESK OF
INDEX
Thank you for your letter of 13 February.
CER
Ра
89
As far as I am aware, we have not yet had any dealings with this organisation.
I attach a short defence of the screening process. We and the Hong Kong Government are still considering the Amnesty Report and there may indeed be some changes made to the process. It is infact the responsibility of UNHCR to ensure that all Vietnamese boat people are fully aware of the process and I am sure they will be making more of an effort in that area.
I have sent you a copy of our standard letter and I think it might be appropriate to draw from that to explain why screening is required. "Granting asylum" to non "genuine" refugees is simply not on no-one will take them.
ні
You uncerely,
M V Stone
Hong Kong Department