CONFIDENTIAL
163537
MDHOAN 8825
HOCKE MAY ALSO PRESS ON RESETTLEMENT, PRESS FOR FURTHER CONCESSIONS FROM HONG KONG ON THE WARNING NOTICES, FLAG AREAS IN WHICH HE WOULD EXPECT A GREATER UNHCR ROLE (SCREENING?) IN RETURN FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING OR RAISE ANY OTHER ISSUES OF CONCERN TO HIM.
UNLESS WE WERE PREPARED TO SHOW SOME FLEXIBILITY THE MEETING COULD BE A DIFFICULT ONE.
4.
IN THE CONTEXT OF HONG KONG'S TURS, WE CAN SEE SOME ADVANTAGE IN ANNOUNCING DURING LORD GLENARTHUR'S VISIT TO HONG KONG, POSSIBLY DURING HIS PRESS CONFERENCE, THAT HE WILL SHORTLY BE CALLING ON HOCKE IN GENEVA. THIS WOULD HELP DEMONSTRATE COMMITMENT AT MINISTERIAL LEVEL TO THE WHOLE QUESTION OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE INCLUDING REPATRIATION AND UNHCR FUNDING, AND WOULD HELP TO FOCUS ATTENTION AWAY FROM THE DIFFICULT QUESTION OF RESETTLEMENT.
D
D
WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL TO KNOW LORD GLENARTHUR'S INITIAL REACTION TO THIS IDEA, UKMIS GENEVA WILL ALSO WISH TO COMMENT: WE UNDERSTAND (TELECON HUM/HEWITT) THAT THEY ARE VERY AWARE OF THE POTENTIAL DOWN-SIDE, AND THE MIISTER WILL WISH TO CONSIDER THEIR VIEWS BEFORE THE MATTER IS TAKEN FORWARD. SUBJECT TO ALL THIS, WE WOULD PROPOSE TO CONSULT HONG KONG AND SUBMIT TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE.
HOWE
YYYY
MAIN
LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
NNNN
40
DISTRIBUTION
40
UND
LEGAL ADVISERS
MR GILLMORE
2
PAGE CONFIDENTIAL
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