CONFIDENTIAL
We have
established
contact with the ma in
resettlement countries and UNHCR and expressed our interest in discussing longer-term solutions to the refugee problem
including a possible joint approach to the Vietnamese
Government We shall continue to pursue these contacts in parallel with the new resettlement programme.
Closed Camps Policy
Until July 1982, Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong were accommodated in UNHCR camps and were free to leave the
camps and seek employment. Since then, in order to
discourage further Vietnamese from leaving by boat for Hong
Kong, all newly arriving Vietnamese refugees have been
placed in
in closed camps run by the Hong Kong
Hong Kong Government which they are not permitted to leave during their stay.
This reduced the level of arrivals until 1986, when twice
as many boat people (2074) arrived as in 1985. There is
strong public support in Hong Kong for the policy, which is
considered generous in comparison with the HKG's policy to
repatriate all illegal immigrants from China, irrespective of their links with the territory.
REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT
A review of Hong Hong's
government to be conducted
system of representative
in 1987 This will include the
question of whether direct elections should be introduced.
Government Green Paper will be published in
A Hong Kong
late May ·
The
the possible
This is
Chinese are concerned at
introduction of direct elections in Hong Kong
partly because they fear the political instability and
infighting which direct elections might bring, and partly
because they wish to consider further whether direct
elections need
need be
be included in Hong Kong's Basic Law of
which they aim to publish a first draft in 1988. We have explained to public opinion in Hong Kong,
Parliament,
to
CONFIDENTIAL
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.