CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 2561
OF 301315Z SEPTEMBER 88
21
CONFIDENTIAL
HKD 243/15
26
154345 MDHOAN 5752
One
COPY
Q DIST ?
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR, FROM MCLAREN, AUSS
YOUR TELNO 3627: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE
1. MANY THANKS FOR YOUR TELEGRAM. IT IS CLEAR THAT MR PATTEN'S VISIT TO HONG KONG HAS BEEN A PARTICULARLY USEFUL ONE. IT HAS CERTAINLY STIMULATED CONSIDERABLE INTEREST ON HIS PART IN THE
PROBLEM.
2. STRICTLY FOR YOUR OWN INFORMATION, YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT MR PATTEN HAS MINUTED TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE ABOUT THE WAY FORWARD. HE BELIEVES (LIKE US) THAT WE SHOULD NOT BE DRAWN INTO DISCUSSIONS WITH THE VIETNAMESE ABOUT LONG TERM DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE AT THIS STAGE: BUT CONCLUDES (ALSO LIKE US) THAT WE SHALL NEED TO OFFER SOME KIND OF REINTEGRATION ASSISTANCE IF A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM OF NON REFUGEES IS TO BE FOUND. HE ENVISAGES:
(A) A FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE UNHCR OPERATION IN HONG
KONG (ABOUT WHICH CHRISTOPHER HUM HAS ALREADY TELEGRAPHED TO YOU FCO TELNO 2533):
(B)
(C)
C
ENCOURAGEMENT TO THE UNHCR TO LAUNCH CAT OUR EXPENSE) A SMALL PILOT SCHEME TO RETURN QUOTE THE FIRST GROUP OF DETAINEES UNQUOTE HIS WORDS TO VIETNAM:
-
C
A CONTRIBUTION WHEN THE UNHCR APPEALS FOR ITS OVERALL REGIONAL PROGRAMME OF ASSISTING RETURNING ECONOMIC MIGRANTS.
3. MR PATTEN DISCUSSED (A) WITH LORD GLENARTHUR BEFORE THE LATTER'S DEPARTURE OVERSEAS. THE TWO MINISTERS AGREED THAT AN INITIAL IMMEDIATE CONTRIBUTION OF POUNDS STERLING 1 MILLION SHOULD BE ANNOUNCED AT EXCOM ON 3 OCTOBER: THAT IT WOULD AT THE SAME TIME BE MADE CLEAR THAT WE HOPED TO MAKE FURTHER PLEDGES LATER: AND THAT OFFICIALS WOULD PUT TOGETHER AN ADDITIONAL PACKAGE WHICH WOULD ENABLE LORD GLENARTHUR TO ANNOUNCE A FURTHER SUBSTANTIAL SUM DURING HIS VISIT TO HONG KONG IN JANUARY.
4. ON REINTEGRATION ASSISTANCE, IT IS GOOD THAT MR PATTEN HAS GRASPED THE SUBJECT SO FIRMLY. WE HAVE EXPLORED INFORMALLY WITH ODA OFFICIALS YOUR IDEA OF MAKING USE OF HIS VISIT TO GENEVA IN OCTOBER TO CARRY MATTERS FORWARD. I DO NOT HOWEVER THINK THAT THIS WOULD BE THE RIGHT OPPORTUNITY. THE VISIT (WHICH IS BY NO
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