TNAG-1794-FCO40-2554-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 246

423

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA

TELNO 179

OF 291615Z JUNE 88

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

(13

TOP COPY

CONFIDENTIAL Q DIST ?

HKD 243/8

30 JUN 180

006236

MDHOAN 9403

UKMIS GENEVAL TELNO 355: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG:

MEETING WITH UNHCR

1.

THE MEETING WITH BAYANDOR AND BARI TOOK PLACE ON 29 JUNE AS SCHEDULED. THE TALKS, WHICH LASTED 90 MINUTES IN FORMAL SESSION AND CONTINUED OVER LUNCH, WERE HELD IN A FRIENDLY AND CONSTRUCTIVE ATMOSPHERE.

2.

•

AS EXPECTED BAYANDOR AND BARI REITERATED UNHCR'S CONCERN ABOUT THE TIMING, AND ABOUT SOME ASPECTS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION, OF THE NEW POLICY. IN PARTICULAR THEY EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT

THE WORDING OF THE WARNING NOTICE USED FOR NEW ARRIVALS, AND ABOUT THE UNDULY RESTRICTIVE SCREENING CRITERIA BASED SOLELY ON THE 1951 CONVENTION, SOUGHT ASSURANCES ABOUT THE TREATMENT OF THOSE SCREENED OUT AND CALLED FOR SPECIFIC ASSURANCES OF RAPID LIBERALISATION OF THE CENTRES ACCOMMODATING REFUGEES AWAITING RESETTLEMENT. THEY CLAIMED THAT HOCKE WAS UNWILLING TO

AGREE TO UNHCR'S CLEAR AND VISIBLE ASSOCIATION WITH THE NEW

POLICY UNLESS WE WERE PREPARED TO INDICATE SOME READINESS TO MEET AT LEAST SOME OF THESE CONCERNS.

3.

IN RESPONSE, WE REFUTED POLITELY BUT FIRMLY EACH OF THESE POINTS. WE EXPLAINED THAT THE TIMING OF THE INTRODUCTION OF THE NEW POLICY WAS IN NO WAY INTENDED TO CUT ACROSS UNHCR'S EFFORTS: INDEED WE FULLY SUPPORTED THESE EFFORTS AND WANTED UNHCR TO INTENSIFY

ITS SEARCH FOR DURABLE SOLUTIONS. PARTICULARLY REPATRIATION.

WE TOOK THE LINE THAT, DESPITE ITS RESERVATIONS, UNHCR SHOULD NOT HESITATE TO ASSOCIATE ITSELF WITH THE NEW POLICY AND

AND SHOULD COOPERATE BY PROVIDING LEGAL AND TECHNICAL ADVICE ON

SCREENING PROCEDURES, AND BY PARTICIPATING IN THE APPEAL MECHANISM. WE ALSO TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO EMPHASISE

·

THE POSITIVE ASPECTS OF THE NEW POLICY INCLUDING THE FACT THAT IT WAS DESIGNED TO PRESERVE ACCESS TO RESETTLEMENT FOR GENUINE REFUGEES, THAT SAFE HAVEN WOULD BE PROVIDED FOR ALL ARRIVALS, THAT THERE WAS NO QUESTION OF A QUOTE PUSH OFF UNQUOTE POLICY AND

THAT CONDITIONS IN THE CAMPS FOR THOSE AWAITING RESETTLEMENT WOULD BE LIBERALISED OVER TIME.

OVER LUNCH WE PUT DOWN A CLEAR MARKER THAT THE QUESTION OF UNHCR'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE MAINTENANCE OF REFUGEES IN HONG KONG

L* •

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