RESTRICTED
FM UKMIS GENEVA
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 464
RESTRICTED
702
+3/8
HKD 243/8
30 AUG 3
017456
MDHIAN 1476
OF 26144OZ AUGUST
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
N
YOUR TELNO 2180 TO HONG KONG: VIETNAMESE BOAT-PEOPLE: THE WAY
FORWARD
690
1. WE ARE READY TO TAKE ACTION WITH UNHCR, AS ENVISAGED IN TUR. WE FACE, HOWEVER, A PROBLEM OVER THE ALLEGED BEATINGS IN HEI LING CHAU DETENTION CENTRE.
2. DEPUTY HIGH COMMISSIONER, WHILE APOLOGISING FOR LEAK OF TWO
CABLES FROM UNHCR OFFICE IN HONG KONG ALLEGING BEATINGS OF
VIETNAMESE BOAT-PEOPLE IN HEI LING CHAU ON 19 JULY (DEWEY BELIEVES
THE LEAK WAS IN GENEVA) HAS MADE CLEAR THAT UNHCR CANNOT ASSOCIATE
ITSELF WITH SCREENING PROCEDURES UNTIL THIS INCIDENT HAS BEEN FULLY
INVESTIGATED AND CORRECTIVE MEASURES TAKEN. (UNHCR HAVE NO DOUBT
THAT INCIDENT TOOK PLACE BAYANDOR WAS IN HONG KONG THAT WEEK).
DEWEY REGRETTED THAT THIS INCIDENT WOULD DELAY EARLY DEPARTURE FROM
GENEVA OF UNHCR EXPERT TO DISCUSS PROCEDURES WITH HONG KONG
AUTHORITIES. UNHCR ASSOCIATION WITH SCREENING WOULD NOT BE
AUTHORISED UNTIL 24-HOUR LOCK-UP AT HEI LING CHAU WAS ENDED.
REINTEGRATION AID
-
3. UNHCR IDEAS ON REINTEGRATION AID REMAIN AS SET OUT IN DOCUMENT
CIRCULATED AT ICG MEETING IN OTTAWA IN APRIL. WE SUSPECT, HOWEVER, THAT THEY SEE REINTEGRATION AID AS A MULTILATERAL PROGRAMME, BENEFITTING ALL THE FIRST ASYLUM COUNTRIES IN THE REGION. THEY MAY
BE READY TO ENVISAGE A PILOT PROGRAMME RELATING ONLY TO RETURNEES FROM HONG KONG, BUT THEY WOULD WISH TO MOVE SLOWLY ON THIS IN CLOSE CONSULTATION WITH ASEAN AND ICG COUNTRIES.
PROCESSING AND VOLUNTARY RETURNEES
4. WE NOTE THAT UNHCR OFFICE IN HONG KONG IS PLEADING SHORTAGE OF
STAFF AS A BRAKE ON INTERVIEWING CANDIDATES FOR VOLUNTARY RETURN (PARA 7 OF HONG KONG TELNO 3154). ALTHOUGH IT IS CLEARLY IN UK
INTEREST TO PROCESS SUCH RETURNEES AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE ΤΟ
ENHANCE OUR NEGOTIATING POSITION AT NEXT ROUND OF TALKS WITH VIETNAM
WE NEED TO BEAR IN MIND GENERAL PRESSURES ON UNHCR STAFFING AND
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