CONFIDENTIAL
171643
MDLIAN 9126
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 2716
OF 08044OZ SEPTEMBER 90
AND TO PRIORITY CANBERRA
INFO PRIORITY UKREP JLG HONG KONG
Australian
VISIT TO HONG KONG OF MR GERRY HAND, MINISTER FOR IMMIGRATION, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND ETHNIC AFFAIRS: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE (VBPS) AND EMIGRATION
SUMMARY
1. A GENERALLY USEFUL VISIT, MARRED ONLY BY ROUGH PRESS HANDLING ON THE BRAIN DRAIN. A CLEAR INDICATION THAT THE NEW MINISTER LACKS THE ROBUSTNESS OF HIS PREDECESSOR ON MANDATORY REPATRIATION
OF NON-REFUGEE BOAT PEOPLE.
PROGRAMME
2. MR HAND VISITED HONG KONG FROM SUNDAY, 2 SEPTEMBER TO WEDNESDAY, 5 SEPTEMBER. HE CALLED ON ME ON 3 SEPTEMBER, AND LATER MET HKG OFFICIALS AND VISITED WHITEHEAD DETENTION CENTRE. HE HELD
A PRESS CONFERENCE ON 4 SEPTEMBER.
VBP
3. DURING BOTH BRIEFINGS AND VISITS, THE MINISTER TOOK A CLOSE INTEREST IN OUR SCREENING PROCEDURES AND IN MEASURES TAKEN TO ENCOURAGE VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION. HE INDICATED AT ONE POINT THAT UNHCR'S EFFORTS IN COUNSELLING THOSE SCREENED-OUT SEEMED INADEQUATE - AN IMPRESSION HE HAD GAINED FROM ELSEWHERE IN THE REGION AND URGED A REGIONAL MEETING OF FIRST ASYLUM COUNTRIES SO THAT COUNSELLING EXPENSES COULD BE SHARED AND A COMMON STANDARD
AND APPROACH ADOPTED.
4. OUR GENERAL IMPRESSION WAS THAT BOTH MR HAND AND THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT WERE EAGER TO BUILD UP THE MOMENTUM OF THE VOLUNTARY PROGRAMME AND HAVE BEGUN TO SHY AWAY FROM THE DIFFICULTIES INVOLVED IN A MANDATORY PROGRAMME. WE HAVE EXPLAINED TO THE MINISTER THAT VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION ALONE WILL NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM WE FACE AND THAT A MANDATORY SCHEME WOULD ACTUALLY
REINFORCE THE NUMBERS APPLYING TO RETURN VOLUNTARILY.
COMMENT ON VBPS
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