21.
CONFIDENTIAL
First Asylum Policy
22. The calls for Hong Kong to abandon its first asylum policy have
increased as the VBP problem has escalated.
The Governor considers
that if such a motion were now to be put in LegCo, it would have a good chance of being carried. There is a widespread false belief in
Hong Kong that the policy was imposed from Westminster. In fact HKG recognise that to abandon the policy would be fruitless and very damaging; and in interviews the police who would actually have to turn the boats away, have indicated that they simply could not do
it.
The Way Forward
23. We need to develop a strategy which gives impetus to the voluntary repatriazon programme and which prepares firm ground for
a mandatory programme.
24. On the voluntary programme, the recent increase in number volunteering now some 800, is encouraging. The USA is seized of the need to push UNHCR hard to get their counselling team up to strength. HKG have also realised that they must do more.
intend to:
They
move persons who volunteer to the Lo Wu camp on the same day that they volunteer (at present it may take weeks and they are subject to peer group pressure).
CONFIDENTIAL
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