TNAG-1792-FCO40-2552-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 247

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 29120OZ FCO

TELNO 1627

OF 291025Z APRIL 88

INFO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA

HKD 243/8

CONFIDENTIAL

TOP COPY Q DIST ?

146100

MDHIAN 7681

VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: MEETING OF LEGCO AD HOC GROUP

THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY MET MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AD HOC GROUP ON VIETNAMESE REFUGEES YESTERDAY (28 APRIL). AS REQUESTED BY THE AD HOC GROUP LAST OCTOBER, HE BRIEFED THEM ON DEVELOPMENTS DURING THE LAST SIX MONTHS ON INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS

TO OBTAIN THE AGREEMENT OF THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES TO ACCEPT

BACK TO VIETNAM NON-REFUGEE ECONOMIC MIGRANTS. HE ALSO BRIEFED

THEM ON THE LEGAL AND HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TO HONG KONG'S

POLICY OF FIRST ASYLUM FOR VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE.

2. BARNES CAREFULLY AVOIDED ANY REFERENCE TO SPECIFIC MEASURES

OR OPTIONS BEING CONSIDERED BY US TO DETER FURTHER ARRIVALS OF

BOAT PEOPLE FROM VIETNAM. THE AD HOC GROUP WAS HOWEVER BRIEFED

ON DEVELOPMENTS IN THAILAND AND OTHER COUNTRIES OF FIRST ASYLUM

IN THE REGION AND ON DISCUSSIONS WITH REFUGEE OFFICIALS IN

ASEAN COUNTRIES ON A COMMON REGIONAL APPROACH TO THE PROBLEM.

3. MRS FAN SUBSEQUENTLY SPOKE TO THE PRESS EXPRESSING THE AD HOC

GROUP'S DISAPPOINTMENT AT THE GOVERNMENT'S LACK OF PROGRESS AND

FAILURE TO MAKE ANY NEW PROPOSALS. SHE SAID THAT IN THE ABSENCE

OF ANY CONCRETE PROPOSALS FROM THE GOVERNMENT COUNCILLORS HAD

FORMULATED THEIR OWN POLICY (SEE BELOW) FOR WHICH THEY WOULD SEEK

THE SUPPORT OF OMELCO AND DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS.

4. THE AD HOC GROUP'S VIEW IS THAT, FROM A CHOSEN DATE, VIETNAMESE ARRIVALS SHOULD BE PLACED IN NEW CLOSED CAMPS SEPARATE FROM THE

REFUGEES ALREADY IN HONG KONG. THEY SHOULD BE HELD THERE WITHOUT

THE OPTION OF RESETTLEMENT IN THIRD COUNTRIES UNTIL IT IS POSSIBLE

TO REPATRIATE THEM TO VIETNAM. THE GROUP'S PROPOSAL IS MODELLED

IN THIALAND'S CHANGE OF POLICY SINCE MID-JANUARY, ALTHOUGH THEY

REITERATED THEIR COMMITMENT TO NO 'PUSH-OFFS'. THEY ALSO

REPEATED THEIR CALL THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE ACCOMMODATION, CARE AND MAINTENANCE OF

REFUGEES IN HONG KONG SHOULD BE REDUCED.

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