SECRET
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 10093OZ FCO
TELNO 1759
OF 10063OZ MAY 88
INFO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA
Kio
147
O DIST ?
SECRET
HKD 243/8 ний
کوئی
176636
MDHIAN 8803
YOUR TELNO 1178: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: OPERATION WATCHMAN
1. AS YOU WILL REALISE, OUR THINKING ON A POSSIBLE CHANGE OF POLICY IS STILL DEVELOPING. THE POINTS YOU RAISE ARE PRECISELY SOME OF
THOS ON WHICH WE ARE NOW DOING THE DETAILED STAFF WORK AS QUICKLY
AS POSSIBLE. WHEN WE HAVE THE GENERAL LINES CLEAR WE SHALL HAVE
TO SEEK EXCO'S ADVICE.
2. WITH THOSE CAVEATS, THE ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS IN PARA 2 OF TUR ARE:
(A) SCREENING WOULD BE CARRIED OUT BY THE HKG ON THE BASIS OF THE
UNHCR GUIDELINES (WE HAVE COPIES OF THE BOOKLET). THERE WOULD
BE PROVISION FOR APPEALS. UNHCR WOULD NOT BE DIRECTLY INVOLVED
IN THE PROCESS, BUT WOULD BE ABLE TO OBSERVE AND MONITOR IT.
(B) THOSE SCREENED OUT AS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WOULD HAVE NO ACCESS TO RESETTLEMENT. WE WOULD, HOWEVER ENVISAGE UNHCR HAVING ACCESS TO THEM IN THEIR PROTECTION AND ASSISTANCE FUNCTIONS.
(C) WE HAVE INDEED CONSIDERED THE POSSIBILITY THAT HONG KONG MAY IN
THE END HAVE TO ABSORD LARGE NUMBERS OF THOSE CURRENTLY IN OUR
CAMPS. THAT IS UNFORTUNATELY ALREADY THE CASE. WE WOULD WISH TO
SEE A MAJOR DRIVE TO RESETTLE THOSE CLASSIFIED AS REFUGEES (IE ALL
THOSE NOW HERE) TO COINCIDE WITH THE CHANGE OF POLICY.
(D) OUR PRESENT THINKING IS THAT FUTURE ARRIVALS SCREENED IN AS
GENUINE REFUGEES WOULD IN THE INITIAL PERIOD BE ACCOMMODATE IN OUR
EXISTING CLOSED CENTRES. WE WOULD AIM TO LIBERALISE THESE
GRADUALLY 6 MONTHS AFTER THE INTRODUCTION OF A NEW POLICY AND
WOULD EXPECT UNHCR TO OPERATE THEM. WE SEE DISADVANTAGES IN OPENING
THE PRESENT CAMPS IMMEDIATELY. FIRST IT WOULD GIVE THE WRONG
SIGNAL TO VIETNAM. SECOND MANY OF THOSE IN CLOSED CAMPS HAVE BECOME
INSTITUTIONALISED AND WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO COPE IMMEDIATELY IN OPEN
CENTRES: WE BELIEVE UNHCR SHARES THIS VIEW.
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