TNAG-1786-FCO40-2546-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-closed-camp-policy-1988 — Page 166

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

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D. nethy all.

077175

ниб

1243/4

MDTTAN 7935

4 cc

Had

e

parent,

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FM BANGKOK

TO TELELETTER FCO

TELELETTER NFR

OF 170234Z FEBRUARY 88

AND TO TELELETTER WASHINGTON!--UKMIS NEW YORK, UKMIS GENEVA

AND TO TELELETTER HONG KONG

Hanoi.

MAR 1988

Repa Bu 29/3. кара

a&us

No3/3 mfortman Misy: State

3/3

P.A.

FROM:

FOLLOWING FOR:

COPIED TO:

P.L. BEAN. BRITISH EMBASSY BANGKOK.

DR M.D. REILLY, SEAD, FCO.

CHANCERY WASHINGTON,

MRS J HELKE, UKMIS NEW YORK, MRS D. WALKER, UKMIS GENEVA CHANCERY HONG KONG

VIETNAMESE BOAT REFUGEES

SUMMARY

1 -

CONTINUED HIGH LEVEL OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEE BOAT DEPARTURES FROM KOMPONG SOM ON THE CAMBODIAN COAST HAS PROMPTED THE THAI AUTHORITIES TO ADOPT A TOUGHER LINE. NINE THAI NAVY AND MARINE POLICE BOATS DEPLOYED OFF THE THAI COAST TO PUSH BACK CAMBODIAN BOATS BRINGING VIETNAMESE REFUGEES. THIS POLICY IS CAUSING HARD -SHIP AND IN SOME CASES DEATH. THOSE VIETNAMESE GETTING THROUGH ARE BEING HELD AS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, BUT ARE LIKELY TO GO TO SITE 2 TO JOIN VIETNAMESE LAND ARRIVALS. U.S. AND AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENTS HAVE APPEALED TO THAI AUTHORITIES TO MAINTAIN THEIR HUMANITARIAN POLICY TOWARDS VIETNAMESE REFUGEES. THE THAIS HAVE NOT EXERTED ANY PRESSURE ON THE AMERICANS TO TAKE MORE REFUGEES.

DETAIL

2. THE HEAD OF THE U.S. EMBASSY REFUGEE SECTION, BRUCE BEARDSLEY, INVITED SOME DONOR COUNTRY EMBASSY REPRESENTATIVES TO A MEETING ON 12 FEBRUARY TO DISCUSS THE ROYAL THAI GOVERNMENT'S APPARENT CHANGE OF POLICY TOWARDS VIETNAMESE REFUGEES ARRIVING ON THAILAND'S EAST COAST. MR BEARDSLEY EXPLAINED THAT THE U.S. EMBASSY HERE HAD SENT TWO OF THEIR STAFF TO INVESTIGATE WHAT WAS HAPPENING, AND AS A RESULT OF THEIR FINDINGS THE U.S. AMBASSADOR HAD RAISED HIS CONCERNS WITH THE THAI AUTHORITIES, AND APPEALED FOR HUMAN- ITARIAN TREATMENT BY THE THAIS OF VIETNAMESE ARRIVALS ON THE EAST

1

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