TNAG-1791-FCO40-2551-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 28

CONFIDENTIAL a

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122315 MDLOAN 5849

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO PRIORITY HONG KONG

TELNO 1008

OF 21161OZ APRIL 88

HUD 243/8

INFO ROUTINE UKMIS GENEVA, HONG KONG GOV LONDON

YOUR TELNO 1391

1.

(36) HUD 243/6

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES

THANK YOU FOR KEEPING US INFORMED OF YOUR THINKING. WE HAVE SOME SYMPATHY FOR THE VIEWS IN TUR, BUT YOU WILL WISH ALSO TO TAKE THE FOLLOWING CONSIDERATIONS INTO ACCOUNT:

(A)

(B)

MUD 243/8

2.

(C)

UNHCR WILL SHORTLY BE FACED WITH VERY SUBSTANTIAL ADDITIONAL COMMITMENTS FOR AFGHAN REFUGEES. UNLESS THERE IS A VERY STRONG CASE ADDITIONAL REQUESTS TO UNHCR

FOR HELP FOR HONG KONG ARE UNLIKELY TO BE EASILY AGREED. IMPLEMENTATION OF A NEW POLICY ON THE LINES DISCUSSED IN YOUR TELNO 1277 AND OUR TELNOS 982-984:

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(I) COULD WELL HAVE FINANCIAL AND OTHER RELEVANT IMPLICATIONS: FOR EXAMPLE YOU MAY WISH TO TRANSFER THOSE IN EXISTING CLOSED CENTRES TO OPEN CENTRES, OR TO PUT THOSE SCREENED-IN UNDER FUTURE ARRANGEMENTS INTO OPEN CENTRES. THOSE SCREENED-OUT WOULD IN EFFECT BE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, PRESUMABLY NOT COVERED BY UNHCR'S MANDATE. ALL THIS WOULD HAVE AN EFFECT ON THE PACKAGE YOU

MIGHT REQUEST UNHCR TO FUND.

(II) WOULD NEED SUPPORT FROM ALL PARTIES, INCLUDING UNHCR, TO SUCCEED TO THE FULLEST POSSIBLE EXTENT. ONE OF THE ELEMENTS WHICH UNHCR COULD BE EXPECTED TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT IN CONSIDERING ANY REQUEST FROM YOU WOULD BE HONG KONG'S ABILITY TO MEET THE RELEVANT

COSTS.

THE ABOVE POINTS LEAD US TO CONCLUDE THAT NOW IS NOT A GOOD

TIME TO RAISE THIS QUESTION WITH UNHCR.

3.

IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF YOU COULD ESTIMATE THE EXTENT OF THE FINANCIAL BURDEN YOU WOULD SEEK TO PASS TO UNHCR, ONCE YOU ARE IN

A POSITION TO DO SO.

4. WE WOULD BE

GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD CONTINUE TO KEEP US INFORMED OF YOUR THINKING. AT AN APPROPRIATE TIME WE WILL BOTH HAVE TO CONSIDER HOW ANY APPROACH TO UNHCR SHOULD BEST BE MADE. FOR OUR PART WE WILL ALSO HAVE TO CONSIDER WHAT CONTRIBUTION WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO MAKE TOWARDS THESE ADDITIONAL COSTS IF THEY ARE TO BE ACCEPTED BY UNHCR. OUR FUNDS ARE NOT (NOT) UNLIMITED

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