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FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1588
OF 17120OZ MAY 89
INFO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, HANOI
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MY TELNO 1566: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE : LEGCO DEBATE
1
24 MEMBERS SPOKE IN A 4 HOUR DEBATE ON VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE EARLIER TODAY. THE MAIN POINTS WERE:-
(I)
THE VBP ISSUE IS A MATTER OF FOREIGN RATHER THAN DOMESTIC POLICY AND AS SUCH IS PRIMARILY A UK RESPONSIBILITY. THE UK HAS A MAJOR ROLE TO PLAY IN PRESSING A COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION AT THE GENEVA CONFERENCY, BY INCREASING ITS RESETTLEMENT QUOTA AND BY TAKING A GREATER SHARE OF THE FINANCIAL BURDEN.
(II)
ALL MEMBERS WHO SPOKE ARGUED THAT IF A COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION IS TO EMERGE FROM THE GENEVA CONFERENCE, THE MANDATORY REPATRIATION ISSUE MUST BE ADDRESSED. VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION ALONE WILL NOT BE A SUFFICIENT SOLUTION.
(III)
MOST MEMBERS ARGUED THAT IF THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE DOES NOT PRODUCE A COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION, THEN THE POLICY OF FIRST ASYLUM SHOULD BE RECONSIDERED. WITHOUT MANDATORY REPATRIATION, FIRST ASYLUM IS UNTENABLE.
(IV)
VIETNAM MUST ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR ALL OF ITS PEOPLE IN THE FIRST ASYLUM COUNTRIES AND TAKE URGENT ACTION TO PREVENT DEPARTURES.
2. THE MOTION WAS PASSED ON A UNANIMOUS VOTE. THE DEBATE HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT THERE IS ALMOST UNANIMOUS SUPPORT FOR EARLY MANDATORY REPATRIATION. FURTHERMORE A VERY CLEAR MAJORITY OF MEMBERS WANT TO SEE AN END TO THE FIRST ASYLUM POLICY IF A COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION IS NOT ACHIEVED AT GENEVA.
3.
WE WILL TELEGRAPH A FULLER REPORT OF THE DEBATE TOMMORROW.
WILSON
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