TNAG-1791-FCO40-2551-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 6

CONFIDENTIAL

134656

MDHOAN 4775

(B)

(C)

(D)

(E)

WITH THE REST. WHETHER OR NOT SUCH ACTION WOULD RENDER THE HKG VULNERABLE TO ACTION IN THE COURTS IT WOULD BE EXTENSIVELY DAMAGING TO HONG KONG'S INTERNATIONAL IMAGE IN TERMS OF ITS COMMITMENT TO THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS, AND INCONSISTENT WITH ITS HUMANITARIAN OBLIGATIONS. UNHCR: WE WOULD EXPECT UNHCR TO REACT VERY NEGATIVELY. WE BELIEVE THEY WOULD CONTINUE TO RECOGNISE THEIR OBLIGATIONS TO ASSIST THE REMAINING REFUGEE POPULATION IN HONG KONG, BUT THE LOSS OF UNHCR'S GOOD WILL COULD HAVE PRACTICAL EFFECTS, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE COMPETING PRESSURES ON THEM. IT SEEMS LIKELY THAT THEY WOULD

REVIEW THE SCALE OF THEIR FINANCIAL COMMITMENT AND WOULD GIVE A LOWER PRIORITY TO RESETTLEMENT FROM HONG KONG. (UKMIS GENEVA TELNO 245). UKMIS GENEVA MAY WISH TO COMMENT FURTHER FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE.

OTHER RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES: WE ACCEPT THAT THE CURRENT EFFORTS OF RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES ARE DISAPPOINTING, BUT WE BELIEVE THAT THESE CONTINUE TO BE OF SIGNIFICANT VALUE TO HONG KONG, NOT LEAST AS A NECESSARY SAFETY VALVE. THE VIEWS OF THE ICG COUNTRIES HAVE EVOLVED TO

THE POINT WHERE ALL ADVOCATE, OR AT LEAST ARE PREPARED TO ACQUIESCE IN, SCREENING ARRANGEMENTS. BUT NONE WOULD BE HAPPY WITH AN APPROACH WHICH EXCLUDED SCREENING OR ENVISAGED IT ONLY IN THE INDEFINITE FUTURE. A CHANGE OF POLICY ON THE LINES YOU CURRENTLY ENVISAGE WOULD UNDOUBTEDLY ALIENATE MUCH INTERNATIONAL OPINION AND MAKE THE RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES MUCH LESS WILLING TO HELP IN THE FUTURE.

WIDER IMPLICATIONS FOR HONG KONG: WE BELIEVE SUCH A MOVE COULD RUN COUNTER TO HONG KONG'S BROADER INTERESTS. THE CHANGE WOULD COME AT A TIME WHEN DOMESTIC ATTENTION IS ALREADY FOCUSSED ON THE INTERNATIONAL COVENANTS AND WHEN CONCERN IS BEING EXPRESSED IN HONG KONG THAT THESE COVENANTS SHOULD BE REFLECTED IN DOMESTIC LEGISLATION. THIS CONCERN WILL INCREASE IN THE COMING MONTHS IN THE CONTEXT OF DISCUSSION OF THE BASIC LAW. CAND ALSO IN RELATION TO FILM CENSORSHIP). IT WOULD SEEM PARTICULARL INAPPROPRIATE AND UNSETTLING IF AT JUST THIS TIME THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TOOK ACTION WHICH APPEARED TO PUT I DOUBT ITS COMMITMENT TO THE COVENANTS. PARLIAMENTARY REACTION:

WE WOULD EXPECT THE REACTION IN PARLIAMENT, REFLECTING IN PART CRITICISM AMONG THE BRITISH CONCERNED AGENCIES, TO BE VERY UNFAVOURABLE. THIS

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WOULD