CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 3190
OF 311015Z AUGUST 88
716
CONFIDENTIAL
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
MKD 243/8
RECEIVED IN
31 AUG 1988
026473
MDHIAN 1756
INFO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA
N
обе
INFO PRIORITY HANOI, WASHINGTON, BANGKOK, KUALA LUMPUR
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG: DISCUSSIONS WITH THE UNHCR
OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH THE UNHCR (KARIM AND DAWSON-SHEPHERD) IN
HONG KONG HAVE PROGRESSED A POINT AT WHICH WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
PRODUCE A WORKING DOCUMENT RECORDING A BROAD MEASURE OF AGREEMENT. THE LATEST TEXT IS IN MIFT.
==
THIS IS ONLY A WORKING DOCUMENT. NEITHER SIDE HAS COMMITTED ITSELF TO THE TEXT. GRATEFUL FOR ADVICE FROM YOU AND GENEVA ON HOW THIS AGREEMENT SHOULD FORMALLY BE CONCLUDED. WE SEE SOME BENEFIT
IN THE FINAL UNDERSTANDING BEING LODGED WITH THE UNHCR IN GENEVA.
3. THE UNHCR HAVE APPROACHED THESE DISCUSSIONS WITH A SET OF CONDITIONS WHICH, IN THEIR VIEW, MUST BE MET BEFORE THEY COULD RECOMMEND TO GENEVA THAT RESOURCES BE DEPLOYED TO HONG KONG TO ENABLE THEM TO MONITOR THE SCREENING PROCEDURES AND PROVIDE ADVICE TO PEOPLE WISHING TO APPEAL AGAINST A REFUSAL TO GRANT THEM REFUGEE STATUS. OUR OBJECTIVE HAS BEEN TO TIE THE UNHCR INTO THE SCREENING AND APPEALS PROCEDURES. THE MAINTENANCE OF ANY DEGREE OF INTER NATIONAL SUPPORT, ONCE WE REACH THE STAGE OF FORCIBLE REPATRIATION, IS LIKELY TO DEPEND LARGELY ON THE UNHCR'S ENDORSEMENT AND INVOLVEMENT.
THE TEXT
4.
THE PREAMBLE AT PARAGRAPHS 1 AND 2 SETS OUT EACH SIDE'S POSITION OF PRINCIPLE. THE HKG SIMPLY REAFFIRMS ITS INTENTION TO ESTABLISH AND OPERATE PROCEDURES FOR THE DETERMINATION OF STATUS IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE UNHCR'S GUIDELINES. THE UNHCR AGREES TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE PROCEDURES.
5.
PARAGRAPH 3 ESTABLISHES THAT THE TWO SIDES WILL CONTINUE TO DISCUSS ANY MATTERS OF MUTUAL CONCERN. THIS COVERS THE UNHCR'S PRESENTATIONAL CONCERN TO REPRESENT OUR UNDERTAKINGS AS BEING A MINIMAL POSITION ON WHICH THEY CAN CONTINUE TO BUILD. FOR OUR
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