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FM CANBERRA
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 447
OF 210245Z JUNE 88
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG
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360
155000
MDLIAN 6669
HKD 243/8
Q DIST 7
TOP COPY
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344
MY TELNO 403 AND PATEY'S TELELETTER OF 47 JUNE VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE
SUMMARY
1. AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR HONG KONG'S CHANGE OF POLICY ON VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IS NOW PUBLIC
DETAIL
2. IN A FRONT PAGE ARTICLE IN THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD OF 21 JUNE THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT IS REPORTED AS BACKING THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S DECISION TO SCREEN ALL BOAT PEOPLE TO DETERMINE WHETHER THEY ARE GENUINE REFUGEES. IT APPEARS THAT THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD HAS OBTAINED A COPY OF A TELEGRAM OF INSTRUCTIONS SENT TO AUSTRALIAN POSTS OVERSEAS. QUOTING FROM THE TELEGRAM THE ARTICLE SAYS THAT THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS THE ''PROPOSED REPATRIATION UNDER APPROPRIATE CONDITIONS FOR THOSE ARRIVALS WHO DO NOT MEET REFUGEE CRITERIA'' AND BELIEVES ''THE PROSPECT OF RESETTLEMENT IN THE WEST HAS BEEN A MAJOR REASON WHY PEOPLE CONTINUE TO LEAVE VIETNAM''
3. THE AUSTRALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER IS QUOTED AS SAYING THAT THE NEW POLICY RAISED ''A FUNDAMENTAL ISSUE'' ABOUT AUSTRALIA'S IMMIGRATION POLICY ''SHOULD PEOPLE WHO FLEE FROM
•
ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS THEY DO NOT LIKE HAVE THE REASONABLE EXPECTATION OF AN AUTOMATIC RIGHT TO IMMIGRATION TO COUNTRIES INCLUDING AUSTRALIA''.
COMMENT
4. WE HAVE CONFIRMED THAT THE DFAT HAVE NOT ISSUED ANY PRESS STATEMENT AND THEY PRESUME THAT THE JOURNALIST CONCERNED SPOKE DIRECTLY TO HAYDEN. THE AUSTRALIAN ATTITUDE IS HELPFUL AND IT IS WELCOME THAT IT HAS LEAKED'' OUT.
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