TNAG-1793-FCO40-2553-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 122

CONFIDENTIAL

FM WASHINGTON

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 1512

OF 15184OZ JUNE 88

CONFIDENTIAL

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, UKMIS GENEVA

TOP COPY Q DIST ?

ния 24318

140264

MDHIAN 3526

MIPT: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE

1.

FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF STATE DEPARTMENT PRESS GUIDANCE:

BEGINS:

THE SHARPLY INCREASED EXODUS OF PERSONS FROM VIETNAM IS THREATENING THE WILLINGNESS OF HONG KONG AND COUNTRIES IN

SOUTH-EAST ASIA TO CONTINUE THE PRACTICE OF GRANTING ASYLUM

TO ALL WHO SEEK IT. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAS INFORMED ALL

INTERESTED GOVERNMENTS AND ORGANISATIONS THAT:

(I)

ASYLUM WILL CONTINUE TO BE GRANTED TO ALL WHO SEEK

IT IN HONG KONG:

(II) SCREENING FOR THE PURPOSE OF DETERMINING REFUGEE STATUS

WILL BE ACCESSABLE TO ALL ASYLUM SEEKERS AND WILL BE CONDUCTED

UNDER STANDARDS ACCEPTABLE TO AND MONITORED BY THE INTERNATIONAL

COMMUNITY THROUGH ITS REPRESENTATIVE THE UN HIGH COMMISSIONER

FOR REFUGEES:

(III) ALL ASYLUM SEEKERS WHO ARE DETERMINED NOT TO HAVE A

VALID CLAIM FOR REFUGEE STATUS AS PROVIDED FOR IN THE UN

CONVENTION WILL BE HOUSED IN HUMANE AND SAFE HOLDING CENTRES.

IN VIEW OF THESE FIRM ASSURANCES THAT THE NEW POLICY WILL BE

IMPLEMENTED IN A REASONABLE AND RESPONSIBLE MANNER, THE UNITED STATES UNDERSTANDS AND SUPPORTS THE ACTION WHICH REGRETFULLY THE

BRITISH AND HONG KONG AUTHORITIES HAVE CONCLUDED THEY MUST TAKE IN

ORDER TO PRESERVE FIRST ASYLUM FOR REFUGEES

ENDS

2. WE SUGGESTED TO STATE THAT THE PRESS GUIDANCE WAS DEFICIENT IN

THAT IT AVOIDED EXPLICIT REFERENCE TO THE FACT THAT THOSE WHO WERE

FOUND NOT TO HAVE A VALID CLAIM OF REFUGEE STATUS WOULD HAVE TO

RETURN TO VIETNAM. WE THEREFORE SUGGESTED THE ADDITION OF THE PHRASE ''PENDING REPATRIATION TO VIETNAM'' AT THE END OF POINT

(III). FOLLOWING TELECON O'BRIEN/FOOTMAN WE SPOKE AGAIN TO STATE AND ASKED THEM TO CONSIDER DELETING POINT (I) ALTOGETHER. WE

WERE CONCERNED THAT IT WOULD GIVE THE WRONG IMPRESSION OF THE

POLICY PARTICULARLY AS IT PURPORTED TO QUOTE A BRITISH GOVERNMENT

SPOKESMAN. THE POINT COULD OF COURSE BE USED DEFENSIVELY TO

1

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CONFIDENTIAL