CONFIDENTIAL
HKD 243/8
4. AUG 1900
TOP COPY a DIST 7
(612)
134662 MDLIAN 7466
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HANOI
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 282
OF 04072OZ AUGUST 88
AND TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
INFO ROUTINE BANGKOK, SINGAPORE, MANILA, JAKARTA, BRUNEI, WASHINGTON INFO ROUTINE CANBERRA, OTTAWA, TOKYO, PEKING, UKMIS GENEVA
INFO ROUTINE KUALA LUMPUR
FROM DELEGATION
(١٥)
MY TELNO 281, PARA 1: FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF CLIFT'S SPEAKING NOTE
1
ALREADY MANY CONTACTS. SIR G HOWE'S DISCUSSION WITH FOREIGN
MINISTER CO THACH IN NEW YORK IN JUNE. SECRETARY OF STATE EMPHASISED SERIOUSNESS OF THE PROBLEM FOR HONG KONG OF THE HUGE INCREASE IN NUMBERS OF ECONOMIC MIGRANTS FROM VIETNAM. HE UNDERLINED NEED TO HALT THE FLOW AND TO AGREE ON ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE
RETURN TO VIETNAM OF BOAT PEOPLE WHO ARE CLASSIFIED AS ILLEAL
IMMIGRANTS. HE ALSO URGED THE IMPORTANCE OF MAKING PEOPLE IN
VIETNAM UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WAS NOW NO OPPORTUNITY FOR
RESETTLEMENT IN GOING TO HONG KONG.
2.
ISSUE OF BVIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE LONG HISTORY. SERIOUS EFFECT
ON COUNTRIES IN REGION AND WORLD. CAUSED PRIMARILY BY CONDITIONS
IN VIETNΑΜ.
3.
WE REGARD THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THOSE CONDITIONS AND FOR
OUTFLOW IN GENERAL AS FALLING ON VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT. NOT FOR
OTHER COUNTRIES OR GOVERNMENTS TO TELL VIETANAM HOW TO SOLVE ITS
PROBLEMS. BUT NO QUESTION THAT VIETNAM'S REPUTATION IN
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SERIOUSLY AFFECTED.
4. PROBLEMS FOR HONG KONG ESPECIALLY ACUTE. HAVE BEEN FACING
THESE SINCE MID 70'S HONG KONG'S RPROBLEM OF SPACE AND
·
FINANCIAL AND HUMAN RESOURCES. CANNOT GO ON ACCOMMODATING
ADDITIONAL BURDEN. THE PROBLEM IS TWO-FOLD: THE NUMBER OF BOAT
PEOPLE ARRIVING IN HONG KONG HAS INCREASED AND FOR SOME TIME NOW
BOAT PEOPLE COMING TO HONG KONG HAVE HAD VIRTUALLY NO RESETTLEMENT PROSPECTS.
œ in
5.
CRISIS.
RISE IN NUMBER OF BOAT PEOPLE SINCE MID 1987 HAS RCREATED NEW
A YEAR AGO THERE WERE 7,999 REFUGEES IN HONG KONG.
PRESENT POPULATION (REFUGEES AND POST 15 JUNE ARRIVALS) OVER 23,000 . NUMBER ARRIVED THIS YEAR 14,757. IN JUNE: 4,045. IN JULY: 5,562.
6.
FOR LONG BEEN EVIDENT TO BRITISH AND HK AUTHORITIES THAT MOST
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CONFIDENTIAL
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