CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO DESKBY 15010OZ HONG KONG
TELNO 1531
OF 14143OZ JUNE 88
CONFIDENTIAL
134526
MDHOAN 8180
ния
243/8
JUN 1988
'
210100 ADOO DOL
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM HUM, HKD
MIPT: TEXT OF DRAFT MESSAGE AS FOLLOWS:
1.
AN IMPORTANT ISSUE RAISED DURING MY MEETING WITH
OMELCO ON 31 MAY WAS THE PROBLEM OF THE VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE.
AS YOU KNOW, ONE OF MY MAIN OBJECTIVES DURING MY VISIT TO HONG
KONG WAS TO ASSESS THIS PROBLEM AND I FOUND THE VIEWS PUT FORWARD
BY OMELCO MEMBERS VERY HELPFUL IN THIS. MY VISITS TO GREEN ISLAND AND CHI MAN WAN LEFT ME IN NO DOUBT THAT, AS I SAID AT THE TIME, THE INFLUX WAS BECOMING INTOLERABLE AND THINGS COULD NOT GO ON AS THEY WERE.
2.
I SAID IN HONG KONG THAT I WOULD DISCUSS THE PROBLEM WITH
CABINET COLLEAGUES AS SOON AS I RETURNED TO LONDON. I HAVE NOW DONE SO, WITH THE RESULT THAT WE HAVE NOW ENDORSED HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S DECISION TO IMPLEMENT A NEW POLICY WITH EFFECT FROM 16 JUNE. FROM NOW ON THE GREAT MAJORITY OF BOAT PEOPLE ARRIVING IN HONG KONG WILL BE DETAINED AS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, PENDING THEIR EVENTUAL RETURN TO VIETNAM. ONLY THOSE WHO CAN SHOW THAT THEY ARE GENUINE REFUGEES WILL BE TREATED AS SUCH.
3.
I SPOKE TO THE VIETNAMESE FOREIGN MINISTER IN NEW YORK ON 7 JUNE, AND PRESSED HIM TO TAKE STEPS TO REDUCE ILLEGAL DEPARTURES AND TAKE BACK THOSE WHO HAVE NO PROSPECT OF RESETTLEMENT ELSEWHERE. WE SHALL KEEP UP THE PRESSURE. I SAW THE SOVIET AND CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTERS ON THE SAME DAY, AND DISCUSSED THE PROBLEM OF BOAT PEOPLE WITH BOTH OF THEM. I HAVE ALSO SPOKEN TO SECRETARY SHULTZ.
4.
THIS IS NOT OF COURSE A COMPLETE SOLUTION. THERE IS A LIMIT TO WHAT CAN BE DONE UNTIL CIRCUMSTANCES AND OFFICIAL
ATTITUDES CHANGE IN VIETNAM ITSELF. BUT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT
WILL CONTINUE TO DO WHAT IT CAN TO FIND A LASTING SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM, INCLUDING THE REPATRIATION OF ALL BOAT PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT GENUINE REFUGEES. WE ARE NOW IN TOUCH WITH ALL THE RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES, UNHCR AND THE COUNTRIES OF THE REGION TO EXPLAIN HONG KONG'S CHANGE OF POLICY.
5.
MAY I ALSO EXPRESS MY RESPECT AND ADMIRATION FOR THE WAY IN
WHICH HONG KONG HAS RESPONDED OVER THE YEARS TO THE INFLUX OF
BOAT PEOPLE WITH GENEROSITY, EFFICIENCY AND HUMANITY.
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