TNAG-1187-FCO40-1489-Hong-Kong-s-closed-camp-policy-for-Vietnamese-refugees-1982 — Page 37

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XII

CONFIDENTIAL

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Mr. syltorti

Mr McQuade Mr Clif

11/4

Reference

ayree X. But we sand, and a Sigmarsund if we hear nothing by the end of two of ?// HAK 243/3

суже судна

1) 20/17 Lelegan sent 121/11

jooln

HONG KONG: CLOSED CAMPS

1.

NO.

2515%, Af 15%

I discussed with Mr Clift last week possible ways in which the closed camps policy in Hong Kong might be ''softened'' to meet human rights objections without undermining the effective- ness of the policy. I subsequently sought Mr Burrows' views on three of these.

2. Mr Burrows has now replied. The only effective way to avoid human rights objections seems to be for the HKG to revert more or less to their former ''open' camp policy, at

least on the basic issue of unrestricted access and absence of a prison regime. However, there may be room for some flexibility as regards location - there does not seem to be any human rights difficulties in the camps being located on a remote island rather than in a central urban area. The use of Correctional Services Officers per se does not create any difficulties, as they are already used to run the Shan Shai Po reception camp.

3.

On another point, it seems that none of the other main cuties centres of first asylum has ratified either the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights or the Convention on the Status of Refugees (Portugal has ratified the former, but NTD do not know if this has been extended to Macao. I doubt it, as the ratification was in 1978, by when Macao was already classified as ''a territory under Portuguese administration''.)

4.

I don't think we can take this very much further until we get Hong Kong's reply to Mr Clift's letter of 6 October, and know to what extent they are prepared to be flexible.

Richitare

HKK243|1

228

CODE 18-77

9 November 1982

R J F Hoare

CONFIDENTIAL

SS 8/78