TNAG-1792-FCO40-2552-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 241

CONFIDENTIAL

FM UKMIS GENEVA

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 257

OF 291045Z APRIL

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

HULD 243/8

CONFIDENTIAL

4 1810 D LSIO AdoƆ dol

117

146153

MDHIAN 7688

YOUR TELNO 1047 TO HONG KONG: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE

1. IN PARA 3(B) OF TUR YOU INVITED COMMENT FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE ON THE PROPOSALS SET OUT IN HONG KONG TELNO 15.39.

2. WE AGREE THAT UNHCR WOULD REACT VERY NEGATIVELY, WITH CONSEQUENCES NOT ONLY FOR HONG KONG (AS SET OUT IN TUR), BUT FOR THE UK'S STANDING WITH THE HIGH COMMISSIONER AND HIS OFFICE AND WITH OTHER EXCOM MEMBERS WHICH EXTENDS WELL BEYOND THE AUTHORITY ESTABLISHED BY OUR FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO UNHCR PROGRAMMES.

3. UNHCR WOULD, OF COURSE, CONTINUE TO FULFIL ITS MANDATE FOR REFUGEES IN HONG KONG, AS IT COULD BUT THE DAMAGE DONE TO UNHCR EFFORTS IN THE REGION, AS A RESULT OF UNILATERAL ACTION BY HONG KONG, TO MAINTAIN THE PRINCIPLE OF FIRST ASYLUM AND HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO THOSE LEAVING VIETNAM WOULD BE HELD AGAINST HONG KONG AND THE UK. THE PRESSURE ON THE UK FROM OTHER RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES AND FROM UNHCR TO INCREASE OUR OFFTAKE FROM HONG KONG WOULD ALSO

INTENSIFY.

4. THE REACTION OF THE ICG COUNTRIES, PARTICULARY THE AMERICANS, WOULD ALSO BE HOSTILE AND UNDO MUCH OF THE (LIMITED) PROGRESS MADE AT THE ICG MEETING IN OTTAWA EARLIER THIS MONTH. WE BELIEVE THAT OUR

BEST APPROACH CONTINUES TO BE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE ICG COUNTRIES AND UNHCR EVEN IF PROGRESS IS SLOW, TO BRING PRESSURE ON THE VIETNAMESE AND TO FIND SOLUTIONS OTHER THAN RESETTLEMENT TO THE

PROBLEM OF THE VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE.

VEREKER

YYYY

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