CONFIDENTIAL
FM UKMIS GENEVA
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 340
OF 171356Z JUNE 88
CONFIDENTIAL
348
146727
MDHIAN 3885
Hend 243/8
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
INFO. IMMEDIATE HONG KONG AND WASHINGTON
332
YOUR TELNOS 161 AND 162 (NOT TO ALL): VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE
1. HEAD OF CHANCERY CALLED ON DEPUTY HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES
ON 15 JUNE AND SPOKE AS INSTRUCTED.
2. DEWEY APPRECIATED LATE CHANGES MADE TO WARNING NOTICES TO ACCOMMODATE UNHCR'S CONCERNS. WHILE NOTING THAT TEXTS WERE NOW FINAL, HE STRESSED CONTINUING UNHCR CONCERN FROM THE PROTECTION ANGLE. PRESSURIZING OF BOAT PEOPLE ARRIVALS BY FAILING TO MAKE
CLEAR THAT ARRIVALS COULD LAND AND TAKE THEIR CHANCES IN THE
SCREENING PROCESS WAS CLOSE TO A POLICY OF INTERDICTION. DEWEY
COMMENTED THAT UNHCR SUPPORT FOR HONG KONG'S CHANGED POLICY WOULD
REQUIRE FURTHER AMENDMENT OF WARNING NOTICES. HEWITT IN REPLY SAID
THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO AGREE TO DIFFER: WE DID NOT WISH TO UNDERMINE
THE DETERRENT EFFECT OF THE WARNING NOTICE FOR ECONOMIC MIGRANTS.
3. DEWEY THANKED US FOR OUR RESPONE TO UNHCR'S VIEWS ON NEW POLICY
IN HONG KONG. HE WOULD BRING IT TO HOCKE'S ATTENTION IN NEW YORK.
UNHCR WOULD NOW CONSIDER IF THEY SHOULD SEND AN EXPERT TO HONG KONG
TO DISCUSS THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS OR WHETHER TO AUTHORISE KARIM TO DO
THIS. POLICY MATTERS WOULD CONTINUE TO BE DISCUSSED IN GENEVA. IN
RESPONSE TO QUESTION ON REFUGEE GUIDELINES OR CRITERIA BEING USED BY HONG KONG AUTHORITIES, WE CONFIRMED THAT THIS WOULD BE UNHCR'S MANUAL (1951/67 GUIDELINES).
SANKEY
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
57
LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
DISTRIBUTION
57
PS
PS/MRS
CHALKER
PS/LORD GLENARTHUR
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CONFIDENTIAL
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