TNAG-1904-FCO40-2706-Hong-Kong-attitudes-towards-Vietnamese-refugees-1989 — Page 36

CONFIDENTIAL

142372

3

MDHOAN

YOU HAD REPORTED EXCO'S VIEWS TO MINISTERS, INCLUDING THE PRIME MINISTER, AND AWAIT THEIR RESPONSE?

5.

AGAINST THIS THOROUGHLY UNPROMISING BACKGROUND,

LORD GLENARTHUR HAS ASKED FOR URGENT THOUGHT TO BE GIVEN TO

ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS IF THE INFLUX CONTINUES AT ITS PRESENT

LEVEL. THE ONLY ONES WE HAVE SO FAR BEEN ABLE TO THINK OF, ALL FRAUGHT WITH DIFFICULTY, ARE:-

(A) TO ANNOUNCE THAT NO FURTHER BOAT PEOPLE CAN

BE ACCOMMODATED IN HONG KONG AND THAT THE

POLICY OF FIRST ASYLUM HAD THEREFORE BEEN QUOTE TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED UNQUOTE. ANY BOATS ARRIVING AFTER THE DATE OF THE

ANNOUNCEMENT WOULD BE SENT ON THEIR WAY

AFTER THE BOATS HAD BEEN REPAIRED AND REVICTUALLED. THE RISKS WOULD BE VERY HIGH. BEACHINGS OF BOATS, DELIBERATE SINKINGS, AND DROWNINGS WOULD BE AMONG THEM. SINCE MOST OF THE BOATS WOULD PRESUMABLY LAND UP ON THE CHINA COAST, THE CHINESE COULD BE EXPECTED TO OBJECT (DESPITE THE TERMS OF QIAN'S MESSAGE). A VARIANT OF (A), TO INCLUDE RUDIMENTARY SCREENING ON THE LINES SUGGESTED IN YOUR

TELNO 1516

(B)

(C)

THE SWIFT RETURN TO VIETNAM, IN CHARTERED SHIPS, OF NEW ARRIVALS, WITH OR WITHOUT SOME FORM OF SCREENING, AND/OR OF THE BACKLOG OF THE SCREENED-OUT AS SOON AS THEIR APPEALS ARE

REJECTED. IN PRACTICE, THIS COULD ONLY BE DONE WITH VIETNAMESE AGREEMENT, SOMETHING WHICH THEY HAVE PERSISTENTLY REFUSED TO GIVE. IT COULD HOWEVER BE ARGUED THAT THEY HAVE NOT YET BEEN

PRESENTED WITH A SPECIFIC PROPOSAL IN THIS

SENSE, WITH A DATE FOR IMPLEMENTATION ATTACHED TO IT.

6. IF ANY OF THESE LAST-RESORT OPTIONS WERE EVENTUALLY TO BE

ADOPTED, THERE WOULD CLEARLY BE ADVANTAGE IN GIVING ADVANCE NOTICE TO UNHCR AND ICG COUNTRIES, IF ONLY TO GIVE THEM TIME TO COME UP WITH ALTERNATIVES (WHICH, IN PRACTICE, COULD ONLY BE A REGIONAL HOLDING CENTRE OUTSIDE HONG KONG).

7

THESE OPTIONS HAVE NOT BEEN DISCUSSED WIDELY IN THE OFFICE.

2

PAGE

CONFIDENTIAL