CONFIDENTIAL
HKC 241.4
®
142664
MDHIAN 9952
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 234
OF 22110OZ JANUARY
®
RECE
TRY
29 JAN 1991
a
Action Tason
BOR: VBPS.
3
Pr2/1.
OUR TELNO 98 AND YRTELNO 77: BILL OF RIGHTS (BOR) AND VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE (VBP)
1. GIVEN THE TIGHT TIME FRAME WE ARE WORKING ON FOR ENACTMENT OF THE BOR, WE ARE HOPING TO CONSULT EXCO ON 29 JANUARY. THE VBP ISSUE HAS NOW BECOME ONE OF THE KEY CONSIDERATIONS IN HOW WE HANDLE THE BOR. WE TRUST OF COURSE THAT YOU WILL SHARE OUR VIEW IN FIRST TUR THAT HMG'S RESERVATION UNDER THE ICCPR ADEQUATELY COVERS THE INDEFINITE DETENTION OF VBP. IF THIS IS NOT SO, THEN WE FACE A VERY MAJOR POLITICAL AND LEGAL PROBLEM, EFFECTING PERCEPTIONS OF THE BILL AS WELL AS OUR HANDLING OF THE VBP PROBLEM.
2. AS ALSO INDICATED IN PARA 8 OF OUR TUR, WE MAY NEED TO MOVE VERY FAST TO ENACT REMEDIAL LEGISLATION TO PUT BEYOND LEGAL DOUBT OUR POWER TO DETAIN VIETNAMESE ASYLUM SEEKERS FOR AN INDEFINITE PERIOD. FOR POLITICAL REASONS, WE WOULD NOT/NOT WISH TO HAVE TO ENACT THIS LEGISLATION JUST BEFORE, OR AT THE SAME TIME AS, THE BOR BECAME LAW.
3. FOR ALL THESE REASONS, WE WOULD BE VERY GRATEFUL IF YOUR REPLY TO FIRST TUR COULD REACH US DESKBY 2403OOZ.
WILSON
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
127
DISTRIBUTION
134
.VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HK
LIMITED
SEAD
EAPD/ODA
ECD (E)
UND
PS
PS/MRS CHALKER
PS/LORD CAITHNESS
PS/MR LENNOX-BOYD
PAGE
1
CONFIDENTIAL