who
HICD 243/8
N
MAY 1988 17
Mr Footman, HKD
Y
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VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG
1.
Reference......
MRIACC
W17/5 Mass Slater WHE
Mr Paul
Mr Mumm
144
< 1815 Para 4 fi.
N
PA
182
In his minute of 6 May to Mr Hum, Mr Williams (UND) invited SEAD's comments on the implications for ICG and ASEAN countries of the proposed changes in policy to deal with the inflow of Vietnamese boat people into Hong Kong.
2.
As far as the ICG countries are concerned, I would endorse Mr Williams' comments. As you know, the Australians have been pressing us for some time to introduce screening of new arrivals in Hong Kong and Canada too has become more open in its advocacy of such policy. Mr Funseth's emotional interjections at the last ICG meeting suggest that Americans will be ambivalent but provided they are satisfied that genuine refugees are not suffering, I would not expect them to object. I therefore agree with Mr Williams that we should seek to prepare the ground by discussions in advance, if possible with Ambassador Moore.
3.
4.
ASEAN reactions are unlikely to be significant. The two ASEAN members bear the brunt of Vietnamese arrivals have either already taken unilateral action to deal with the problem (Thailand) or have announced definite plans to do so (Malaysia). To some extent this has almost certainly made the problem for Hong Kong worse as hitherto resettlement prospects from Thailand and Malaysia have tended to be better than from Hong Kong. At least part of the present influx into Hong Kong must be in reaction to developments elsewhere in the region, in the belief that it is only a matter of time before Hong Kong introduces similar measures. If anything, I suspect ASEAN will welcome a tougher policy in Hong Kong as they will be able to use it as justification for their own tougher measures.
As I have already told you, I have also been contacted by Dr Barber of the British Refugee Council who was seeking confirmation of information obtained, presumably in Hong Kong, about the proposed new policies. Rather to my surprise, he proved to be in favour of the introductin of screening and pointed out that the BRC had long urged the Hong Kong Government to introduce such a policy. He suggested that the present screening programme in Thailand. for arrivals from Laos could serve as a useful model. Dr Barber was also critical of UNHCR's apparent lack of enthusiasm for screening, taking the view that refusal to countenance screening did the cause of genuine refugees no good at all. I believe that Dr Barber's reactions reinforce Mr Williams' views that, provided screening is introduced and is modelled on guidelines followed elsewhere, and provided we prepare the ground, we are likely to enjoy a measure of understanding, if not support, for the introduction of screening. The attitude of the BRC is particularly important as it is the umbrella group for
CODE 18-77
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