TNAG-1794-FCO40-2554-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 320

Y

M

CONFIDENTIAL

HKD 243

3/8

163537

MDHOAN 8825

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO DESKBY 23010OZ PEKING

TELNO 577

OF 221515Z JUNE 88

AND TO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA

-3

FOLLOWING FOR LORD GLENARTHUR'S PARTY FROM HKD

HONG KONG TELNOS 239U-2391: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE

1.

(371-2

ONE

WE HAVE BEEN CONSIDERING IN THE LIGHT OF HONG KONG TUR SHOW BEST TO MAINTAIN PRESSURE ON UNHCR TO PURSUE THEIR CONTACTS WITH THE VIETNAMESE ON REPATRIATION OF BOAT PEOPLE FROM HONG KONG. IDEA WOULD BE FOR LORD GLENARTHUR TO CALL ON HOCKE IN GENEVA, AFTER HIS RETURN FROM HONG KONG.

2.

SUCH A MEETING WOULD BE HELPFUL IN PROVIDING AN OPPORTUNITY:

TO ENCOURAGE HOCKE TO INTENSIFY HIS EFFORTS WITH THE VIETNAMESE ON REPATRIATION:

(A)

(B) TO MEND ANY BROKEN FENCES IN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH UNHCR AND TO TRY TO INCREASE HOCKE'S SYMPATHY AND UNDERSTANDING FOR THE NEW POLICY IN HONG KONG. LORD GLENARTHUR COULD EMPHASISE THE ELEMENTS OF THE NEW POLICY WHICH SHOULD APPEAL TO UNHCR (MAINTENANCE OF FIRST ASYLUM FOR GENUINE REFUGEES, LIBERALISATION OF THE CENTRES FOR REFUGEES, SCREENING PROCESS UNDER UNHCR GUIDELINES, PROVISION FOR UNHCR TO MONITOR SCREENING AND ASSIST WITH APPEALS): EXPLAIN AGAIN WHY WE COULD NOT DELAY THE INTRODUCTION OF THE NEW POLICY: AND PUT ANY DIFFERENCES OF OPINION ON THE WARNING NOTICES INTO PERSPECTIVE. WHILE EXPLAINING AGAIN WHY WE REGARD THE MAINTENANCE OF THE DETERRENT ASPECT AS VITAL AT THIS INITIAL STAGE, HE MIGHT BE ABLE TO OFFER THE PROSPECT OF A REVIEW OF THE WORDING IN DUE COURSE:

(C) TO ASK HOCKE TO CONSIDER THE IDEA THAT UNHCR SHOULD MEET MORE OF THE COSTS ARISING FROM THE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG, POSSIBLY AS PART OF A PACKAGE OF MEASURES THAT WOULD ALSO INVOLVE LIBERALISATION OVER TIME OF CONDITIONS IN THE CLOSED

CAMPS.

IDEALLY LORD GLENARTHUR WOULD ALSO BE ABLE TO INFORM UNHCR OF A NEW UK RESETTLEMENT COMMITMENT, BUT WE CANNOT YET JUDGE THE CHANCES OF THAT.

THE

3

THERE ARE SOME RISKS INHERENT IN SUCH A MEETING WE ARE AWARE OF INTERNAL DIFFERENCES IN UNHCR WHICH COULD LEAD TO UNHCR'S BACKING AWAY FROM THEIR ALREADY QUALIFIED SUPPORT FOR NEW POLICY, ALTHOUGH IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS WE DO NOT BELIEVE THAT UNHCR WOULD BE ABLE TO CUT THEMSELVES OFF FROM A REFUGEE PROBLEM.

1

PAGE

CONFIDENTIAL