CONFIDENTIAL
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
259
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO DESKBY 09010OZ HONG KONG
TELNO 1480
HUD 243/8
них
CON 1988
114554
MDHOAN 7709
OF 08120OZ JUNE 88
1
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: OPERATION
WATCHMAN
1. MINISTERS ARE CONSIDERING HOW TO ANNOUNCE TO PARLIAMENT THE
NEW POLICY ON VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE. ONE OPTION WOULD BE AN
INSPIRED WRITTEN PQ: AND AS A CONTINGENCY MEASURE WE ARE
PREPARING A DRAFT.
2. THE PROPOSED QUESTION IS AS FOLLOWS: QUOTE TO ASK
THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS WHAT
PLANS HE HAS TO COPE WITH THE RECENT INFLUX OF VIETNAMESE BOAT
PEOPLE INTO HONG KONG UNQUOTE.
2. OUR PROPOSED REPLY IS AS FOLLOWS:
ON
QUOTE THE NUMBER OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN CAMPS IN HONG KONG
NOW STANDS AT (15,000) COMPARED WITH LESS THAN 8,000 A YEAR AGO. THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAVE ACTED WITH COMMENDABLE EFFICIENCY
IN ESTABLISHING EMERGENCY FACILITIES TO ACCOMMODATE THE RECENT
INFLUX. BUT IN VIEW OF THE RAPIDLY DETERIORATING SITUATION, THE GOVERNMENT HAVE NOW DECIDED, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, THAT IT IS NO LONGER APPROPRIATE FOR HONG KONG TO TREAT ALL ARRIVALS BY BOAT FROM VIETNAM AS REFUGEES. FROM 16
JUNE ALL. BOAT PEOPLE FROM VIETNAM WILL BE SCREENED ON ARRIVAL,
THE BASIS OF STANDARD UNHCR CRITERIA. THOSE WHO ARE DETERMINED
TO BE GENUINE REFUGEES WILL BE ACCOMMODATED IN HONG KONG TO AWAIT
RESETTLEMENT. THOSE WHO DO NOT MEET THE NECESSARY CRITERIA WILL
BE DETAINED AS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. THE GOVERNMENT WILL PRESS FOR
ARRANGEMENTS WITH THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES TO ENABLE PEOPLE IN
THIS CATEGORY TO BE SENT BACK TO VIETNAM, UNDER SUITABLE GUARANTEES ABOUT THE TREATMENT THEY WILL RECEIVE ON
THEIR RETURN UNQUOTE.
3.
WITH APOLOGIES FOR THE TIGHT DEADLINE, WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR COMMENTS DESKBY 091200Z, TO ENABLE US TO SUBMIT THE DRAFT REPLY TO MINISTERS BEFORE THE WEEKEND.
HOWE
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