CONFIDENTIAL
014564
MDLIAN 4881
1
MEDIUM TERM AT LEAST, WITHOUT DRASTIC MEASURES. THEY FELT THAT DETENTION ( WAREHOUSING'') OF ARRIVALS WITHOUT ACCESS TO
RESETTLEMENT PROCESSING MIGHT BE EFFECTIVE IF IT WERE APPLIED ON A
REGIONAL BASIS AND GENERALLY SUPPORTED, OR AT LEAST TOLERATED, BY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
5. DATO' OSMAN FELT THAT VIETNAM SHOULD BE PRESSED TO I 'AGREE TO CERTAIN ACTIONS'' CAPPARENTLY INCLUDING CONTROL OF DEPARTURES AND ACCEPTANCE BACK OF ECONOMIC MIGRANTS) AND THAT UNHCR SHOULD BE MORE
ACTIVE IN THIS REGARD. HE WAS CLEARLY NOT IMPRESSED BY HOMANN- HERIMBERG'S LATEST EFFORTS.
COMMENT
6. MALAYSIAN OFFICIALS ARE PROUD OF THEIR RECORD AS A PLACE OF FIRST ASYLUM SINCE 1979, BUT FEEL THAT TIME IS RIPE FOR A CHANGE. THEY WOULD APPARENTLY SUPPORT QUITE DRASTIC MEASURES, SHORT OF PUSHING BOATS OFF, BUT UNLESS THE SITUATION IN MALAYSIA WORSENED SIGNIFICANTLY WOULD PROBABLY NOT (NOT) BE PREPARED TO UNDERTAKE
SUCH MEASURES EXCEPT AS PART OF AN AGREED COMMON REGIONAL POLICY ENDORSED, AT LEAST TACITLY, BY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.
SINGAPORE
SUMMARY
7. SINGAPORE OFFICIALS NON-COMMITTAL ABOUT COMMON REGIONAL APPROACH, BUT WOULD PROBABLY BE PREPARED TO PARTICIPATE IN THAI SEMINAR.
DETAIL
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8. ACCOMPANIED BY CLEMENTS, HEAD OF CHANCERY, BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION, FRENCH MET MRS LEE CHIN NEO, DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS DIVISON, MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS AND MR LOW CHOON MING DIRECTOR
OF SOUTH-EAST ASIA, MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS ON 22/23 MARCH. BE BRIEFED THEM ON RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN HONG KONG AND IN THAILAND
AND ON THE PROPOSED SEMINAR IN THAILAND AT THE END OF MAY. THEY
LISTENED, BUT SAID THAT, BECAUSE OF SINGAPORE'S FIRM POLICY OF NOT ACCEPTING ANY BOAT PEOPLE OR OTHER VIETNAMESE REFUGEES EXCEPT IN TRANSIT UNDER RESETTLEMENT GUARANTEE, THEY DID NOT FEEL THIS WAS AN ISSUE OF GREAT CONCERN TO SINGAPORE. NEVERTHELESS THEY EXPRESSED
INTEREST IN DISCUSSIONS ON A COMMON REGIONAL APPROACH AND SAID THEY
WOULD CONSIDER PARTICIPATING IN THE PROPOSED SEMINAR IN THAILAND
ONCE MORE DETAILS WERE AVAILABLE.
COMMENT
9. ALTHOUGH SINGAPORE MAY BE PREPARED TO PARTICIPATE IN REGIONAL DISCUSSIONS ON THIS ISSUE, SUCH DISCUSSIONS MUST CLEARLY, AS FAR
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