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CONFIDENTIAL
FM THE HAGUE
TO ROUTINE F CO
TELNO 240
OF 15144OZ JUNE 88
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG, HANOI
INFO SAVING UKMIS GENEVA, EC POSTS, PEKING
140454
MDLIAN 5492
YOUR TELNO 132 TO ATHENS: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG
DEPUTY
1. WE TOOK ACTION ON TUR ON 14 JUNE WITH VAN DER HEIJDEN, HEAD MFA DEPARTMENT FOR ASYLUM MATTERS. HE WAS GRATEFUL
/ FOR THE ADVANCE NOTICE OF OUR CHANGE OF POLICY. HE WAS WELL AWARE
OF THE PROBLEMS WE WERE HAVING AND FULLY UNDERSTOOD OUR NEED TO
ACT.
2. VAN DER HEIJDEN REFERRED TO THE 'SIMILAR PROBLEM' IN THAILAND
WHERE A SECOND CAMP WOULD BE OPENED FOR VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE
AND WHERE HE THOUGHT SCREENING SHOULD ALSO BE EMPLOYED. HE AGREED
THERE WAS A NEED TO PERSUADE VIETNAM TO ADOPT A REASONABLE
POLICY, AND SAID THE DUTCH WOULD BE PREPARED TO HELP IN ANY EC CONTEXT. HE WONDERED, HOWEVER, HOW THE UK INTENDED TO TAKE THE MATTER UP WITH THE VIETNAMESE.
3. VAN DER HEIJDEN WENT ON TO SAY THAT THE DUTCH RECENTLY SENT
A MISSION TO HONG KONG TO LOOK AT RESETTLEMENT CASES. HIS OWN VIEW
WAS THAT RESETTLEMENT WAS NOT THE SOLUTION SINCE IT ENCOURAGED OTHERS
TO LEAVE. BUT THE NETHERLANDS HAD ACCEPTED RESETTLEMENT CASES IN
THE PAST AND WOULD CONSIDER DOING MORE DEPENDING ON THE PRIORITIES
IDENTIFIED BY THE UNHCR.
JENKINS
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
57
LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
DISTRIBUTION
70
PS
PS/MR CHALKER
PS/LORD GLENARTHUR
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