CONFIDENTIAL
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instructions were simply to be in the area. There was talk of a flotilla being arranged: if this happened, the Royal Naval would patrol nearby. Mr Goodlad asked the reason for this harassment. Mr Strachan was unclear. The MFA in Hanoi believed it was general harassment. Vietnam had recently complained to China about oil rigs off the coast. The Spratlys might be relevant. However, he believed that an element of smuggling could be involved. The Government had made three protests at different levels to date. The Hong Kong press had been very critical of the lack of Chinese response. The problem was that the Chinese security forces worked on a bounty system as well as being corrupt. There was general concern within the shipping industry but it was clear that a particular Vietnam factor was at play. Action was being taken in London and Peking to raise this subject with the Chinese. Mr Ricketts asked that this be done before Mr Goodlad's meeting with OMELCO.
Vietnamese Migrants (VMs)
4.
Mr Strachan said the ORP was going well, with the next flight due in early October. There would then be a review with the Vietnamese on the way forward. He was keen to resist a "Danegeld relationship" with them on this issue. Mr Van Leeuwen said he was content, especially with the voluntary returnees. He hoped the occasional ORP flight would inspire more voluntary returns. Mr Strachan said that screening was going well: some 500 VMs per week were now being screened (it took half a day per family). Of just over 50,000 VMs in Hong Kong, some 25,000 were now screened out and 23,000 remained to be screened: it was hoped to complete the balance by the end-1993. Mr Van Leeuwen said he had stated publicly that screening was satisfactory.
It was important for it to be beyond reproach.
5.
Mr Strachan said that some 1,200 VMs had now been settled in the UK and 800 allocated. The delay was in handling by NGOs in London, whose absorption capability was limited. He was in discussion with the Home Office on this issue. The problem was that when Canada, Australia, the US etc were asked to raise their quotas, they referred to delays in the UK. Mr Van Leeuwen said there now 3,000 Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong (three years ago there had been 14,000). But many were being rejected as criminals or for drugs reasons. In general, the outstanding debt to UNHCR remained a problem.
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