TNAG-1793-FCO40-2553-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 269

SECRET

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 2217

OF 08093OZ JUNE 88

HUD 243/8

SECRET

TC

Q UIST

MY SECOND IPT: OPERATION WATCHMAN: SPEAKING NOTES

1. B: ASEAN COUNTREIS (ACTION DATE 14 JUNE)

2. (I)

INTRODUCTORY POINTS:

(A) AS IN MIPT

(B) AS IN MIPT

252

114275

MDLIAN 3493

(C) AS IN MIPT

(D) HONG KONG IS SMALL AND OVERCROWDED. RESOURCES NOW

STRETCHED TO THE LIMIT. LOCAL PRESSURE FOR A CHANGE IS MOUNTING

AND CANNOT BE IGNORED. PARTICULAR SENSITIVITY AMONG ETHNIC CHINESE WHO COMPARE THE TREATMENT OF CHINESE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

WHO ARE ALL REPATRIATED.

(E) AS IN MIPT

(II) NEW POLICY:

(A) AS IN MIPT

(B) AS IN MIPT

(C) WILL KEEP IN TOUCH ON EFFECTS OF NEW POLICY. REALISE

HONG KONG SHARES A PROBLEM COMMON TO ALMOST ALL ASEAN STATES.

(III) REQUESTS:

(A) SUPPORT FOR HONG KONG'S POSITION IN PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE

CHANGED POLICY.

-

(B) CONTINUED EFFORTS TO BRING ABOUT A CHANGE OF VIETNAMESE POLICY CAUSE OF OUR COMMON PROBLEM AND IN PARTICULAR TO

PERSUADE THEM TO ACCEPT THE REPATRIATION OF NON-REFUGEES.

WILSON

YYYY

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