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CONFIDENTIAL
662
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 3067
OF 171115Z AUGUST 88
INFO IMMEDIATE UKMIS
MCD 243/8 TOP COPY
GENEVA
алм
TO
Q DIST 7
INFO PRIORITY HANOI, WASHINGTON, BANGKOK, PEKING INFO PRIORITY KUALA LUMPUR, TOKYO
170533
MDHIAN 0554
SECOND MIPT: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG
SUMMARY
1. WE ARE DISCUSSING A RANGE OF ISSUES WITH THE UNHCR LOCALLY.
OUR SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE IN THESE NEGOTIATIONS, NOW CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD BY UNHCR, IS TO SECURE THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE SCREENING AND APPEALS PROCEDURES. THE CREDIBILITY OF THESE PROCEDURES
DEPENDS ON THE UNHCR'S INVOLVEMENT. WE HAVE ALSO DISCUSSED CAMP
CONDITIONS AND THE PLANS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MAJOR NEW OPEN
REFUGEE CAMP AT AREA 46A IN TUEN MUN. THE UNHCR ARE PRESSING HARD
FOR PROGRESS ON LIBERALISATION AS THEIR PRICE FOR PARTICIPATION
IN SCREENING AND APPEALS.
SCREENING AND APPEALS
2.
KARIM (CHARGE DE MISSION) IS PREPARED TO AGREE THAT:
(A) UNHCR REPRESENTATIVES WILL OBSERVE, SELECTIVELY, SCREENING
INTERVIEWS:
(B) THAT A UNHCR LAWYER WILL BRIEF THE SCREENING OFFICERS AND
VET THE QUESTIONNAIRE:
(C) THAT THE UNHCR WILL ESTABLISH A TEAM IN HONG KONG TO PROVIDE
ADVICE ON APPEALS TO PEOPLE WHO REQUEST IT.
3. HE HAS YET TO CLEAR HIS LINES WITH GENEVA AND THE RESPONSE
WILL DEPEND ON OUR ATTITUDE ON OTHER ISSUES WHICH ARE UNHCR NEGOTIATING OBJECTIVES, BUT WE BELIEVE THAT WE CAN REACH A SATISFACTORY CONCLUSION.
4. 800 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN INTERVIEWED SO FAR AND WE HAVE COMPLETED SCREENING ON APPROXIMATELY 400. ALL 400 HAVE BEEN FOUND TO BE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. THERE IS INTENSE INTEREST HERE IN THE RESULT OF
THE SCREEING PROCESS. WE WOULD THEORETICALLY BE IN A POSITION TO
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