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VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN
YOUR TELNO 2570 TO HONG KONG:
HONG KONG: IRAC VISIT: LETTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER.
160416
MDHIAN 6158
IN FRAMING REPLY, DEPARTMENT WILL WISH TO BE AWARE THAT CONGRESSMAN MINETA HAS WRITTEN TO ME IN NO DOUBT SIMILAR TERMS, AND THAT I REPLIED TO HIM ON 3 OCTOBER, SHORTLY BEFORE ARRIVAL OF TUR, AS FOLLOWS: (BEGINS)
THANK YOU FOR YOUR LETTER OF 27 AUGUST (RECEIVED HERE ON 21
SEPTEMBER) ABOUT THE PROPOSED VISIT TO HONG KONG BY A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE INDOCHINA RESOURCE ACTION CENTER
(IRAC).
IRAC WERE IN TOUCH WITH US PRIOR TO MS DILLER'S VISIT. AFTER CONSULTING THE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG, WE MADE CLEAR TO THE PRESIDENT OF IRAC THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WOULD BE GLAD
TO ARRANGE A PROGRAMME OF BRIEFINGS AND VISITS FOR MS DILLER.
WE KNOW THAT THE IRAC WERE PARTICULARLY INTRESTED TO VISIT THE
CENTRES FOR THE BOAT PEOPLE AWAITING SCREENING AND FOR THOSE WHO
HAVE BEEN SCREENED OUT AS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS UNDER THE NEW POLICY
ANNOUNCED IN JUNE. THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ARE CONSCIOUS OF THE
IMPORTANCE OF ALLOWING ACCESS TO THESE DETENTION CENTRES FOR THE
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AND FOR THOSE GROUPS CONCERNED WITH THE
RIGHTS OF THE VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE. THEY HAVE THEREFORE
OPERATED A POLICY OF PERMITTING VISITS TO THE CENTRES BY CONSULAR
OFFICIALS THE UNHCR AND CONCERNED GROUPS UNDER THE AUSPICES OF
THEIR CONSULATES OR THE UNHCR.
/
WE TOLD IRAC THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WOULD BE PLEASED TO
INCLUDE A VISIT TO THE HEI LING CHAU DETENTION CENTRE IN MS DILLER'S PROGRAMME, ON THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS WOULD TAKE PLACE UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE US CONSULATE IN HONG KONG.
THE NECESSARY ARRANGEMENTS WERE SUBSEQUENTLY MADE IN HONG KONG
BETWEEN THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND THE US CONSULATE.
IN SHORT, THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT MADE A MAJOR EFFORT TO RESPOND TO IRAC'S REQUEST FOR ACCESS TO ALL THE RELEVANT
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