CONFIDENTIAL
HKD 243/8
(393)
166601
MDHIAN 4640
CONFIDENTIAL
FM UKMIS GENEVA
TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELNO 344
OF 231723Z JUNE
INFO DESKBY 24010OZ PEKING
PEKING FOR PS/LORD GLENARTHUR
39
YOUR TELNO 577 TO PEKING: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE
SUMMARY
TOP COPY
1. RESERVATIONS ABOUT TIMING AND TACTICS OF A VISIT TO GENEVA BY
LORD GLENARTHUR. HOCKE INTENDS TO SEND A REPRESENTATIVE TO LONDON.
TALKS SHOULD TAKE PLACE THERE. HONG KONG'S REQUEST FOR UNHCR TO MEET
MORE OF BOAT PEOPLE COSTS IN HONG KONG COULD CAUSE PROBLEMS.
DETAIL
2. A VISIT BY LORD GLENARTHUR TO GENEVA IS IN PRINCIPLE MOST
WELCOME. I ALSO FULLY APPRECIATE THE POSSIBLE VALUE IN POLITICAL AND
PUBLIC RELATIONS TERMS IF LORD GLENARTHUR COULD SAY IN HONG KONG THAT HE WAS DUE TO VISIT HOCKE IN THE NEAR FUTURE. I MUST, HOWEVER, EXPRESS SOME RESERVATIONS ON TIMING AND TACTICS.
3. SO FAR, UNHCR HAVE BEEN RESTRAINED IN THEIR COMMENTS ON OUR NEW POLICY AND HAVE INSTEAD OFFERED POSITIVE ADVICE. THE INFORMAL EXCOM
ON 30 JUNE/1 JULY WILL SHOW HOW FAR OUR POLICY IS ACCEPTED GENERALLY. A VISIT TO GENEVA IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS OR SO MIGHT
APPEAR TO BE A DEFENSIVE OR APOLOGETIC MOVE BY US AND WOULD GIVE
HOCKE AN OPPORTUNITY ON HIS OWN GROUND TO REITERATE UNHCR CONCERNS ABOUT PROTECTION, REFUGEE CRITERIA (UNHCR ARGUE THAT THE 1951/67 GUIDELINES ARE TOO NARROW IN RELATION TO VIETNAMESE), LIBERALISATION
OF THE CLOSED CAMPS AND WORDING OF WARNING NOTICES. ON ALL THESE
ISSUES, WHILE MAKING SOME MINOR CONCESSIONS, WE HAVE TAKEN A FIRM LINE, STRESSING THAT POLICY HAS NOW BEEN DETERMINED. WE SHOULD NOT
APPEAR TO BE READY TO BACK-TRACK.
4. WE UNDERSTAND FROM HOCKE THAT HE INTENDS SENDING A REPRESENTATIVE
SOON TO LONDON (AT DEPUTY OR DIRECTOR LEVEL) TO DISCUSS THE NEW SITUATION. I SUGGEST THAT WE SHOULD HEAR WHAT THIS REPRESENTATIVE
HAS TO SAY BEFORE REACHING A FIRM DECISION ON AN EARLY VISIT BY LORD
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CONFIDENTIAL
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