CONFIDENTIAL
027031
MDHIAN 9772
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE
20. BECAUSE OF LOW NUMBERS ARRIVING (ALTHOUGH TWICE THE RATE OF A YEAR AGO), THIS ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN IN THE FOREFRONT OF MEDIA AND PUBLIC ATTENTION IN RECENT MONTHS. BUT IT STILL APPEARS IN OPINION SURVEYS AS ONE OF THE PUBLIC'S MAIN CONCERNS. ATTENTION IN RECENT MONTHS HAS BEEN FOCUSED PRIMARILY ON THE COURTS (WHERE A SERIES OF CHALLENGES TO VARIOUS ASPECTS OF OUR DETENTION AND SCREENING POLICY HAVE BEEN HEAR). HOWEVER, A SERIOUS DISTURBANCE AT THE WHITEHEAD CENTRE EARLIER THIS MONTH REKINDLED ANXIETY ABOUT SECURITY. ARRIVAL LEVELS FOR THE YEAR SO FAR ARE TOO FOR COMFORT, BUT IT IS TOO EARLY TO MAKE ANY PREDICTION ABOUT THE SIZE OF THE INFLUX LATER IN THE YEAR. A LEVEL OF ARRIVALS ANYTHING LIKE THAT OF 1989 WOULD QUICKLY REKINDLE PUBLIC HOSTILITY TOWARDS THE POLICY OF FIRST ASYLUM.
WILSON
HIGH
YYYY
DISTRIBUTION
75
MAIN
73
.HONG KONG AGREEMENT
ESAU
.(RESTRICTED)
PLANNERS
LIMITED
PUSD
HKD
RAD
HD/FED
NEWS D
JOINT DIRECTORATE ERD
ADDITIONAL
2
MS BARRETT LEGAL ADVISERS MISS BROOKS LEGAL ADVISERS
NNNN
PS/LORD CAITHNESS
PS/MR LENNOX-BOYD
MR MCLAREN
MR BURNS
PAGE 5 CONFIDENTIAL