CONFIDENTIAL
258
125124
MDHIAN 5176
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 3003
OF 12060OZ SEPTEMBER 89
HK B
243 19
TOP COPY
Q DIST?
12/9
INFO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON, UKMIS GENEVA, OTTAWA, CANBERRA, HANOI
acter
takan
어
1219
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION
OUR PLANS FOR A VISIT TO THE CHI MA WAN DETENTION CENTRE BY
U S, CANADIAN, AUSTRALIAN AND UNHCR OFFICIALS, TO BRIEF INMATES ON THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE CPA, HAVE HAD TO BE CHANGED. THE CONSULATES
AND UNHCR HAD AGREED TO THE VISIT AND IT HAD BEEN INTENDED
THAT THIS WOULD TAKE PLACE LATER TODAY. HOWEVER THE US CONSULATE
INFORMED US TODAY THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO POSTPONE THE VISIT
FOR A FEW DAYS.
2.
WASHINGTON HAD GIVEN APPROVAL FOR THE BRIEFING BUT HAVE NOW
APPARENTLY INSISTED THAT THE INITIATIVE SHOULD HAVE COME FROM UNHCR, NOT THE HKG. THEY ARE SUPPORTED IN THIS VIEW BY THE
CANADIANS AND THE AUSTRALIANS. ALL THREE RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES HAVE ARGUED THAT THE UNHCR WERE GIVEN THIS RESPONSIBILITY
UNDER THE CPA AND THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE ARRANGED A PROGRAMME OF
VISITS TO ALL OF THE DETENTION CENTRES. THEY SHOULD ALSO HAVE
ENCOURAGED THE OTHER RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES TO PLAY A PART IN EXPLAINING THE CPA. UNHCR HAVE BEEN ASKED TO TAKE THE LEAD IN
THIS EXERCISE AND THE LOCAL REPRESENTATIVE HAS AGREED TO CONSULT
GENEVA URGENTLY.
3.
THE POSTPONEMENT IS DISAPPOINTING. ALL THREE CONSULATES
WERE ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THE BRIEFING AND HAD BEEN CLEARED TO
TAKE PART BY CAPITALS. THE US WERE PARTICULARLY KEEN TO MAKE
AN EARLY START. UNHCR'S ATTITUDE HAS BEEN LESS THAN ENTHUSIASTIC.
THEY HAD EVENTUALLY AGREED TO SEND A JUNIOR OFFICIAL AS AN
OBSERVER BUT THEY WERE CONCERNED TO CONTINUE PLAYING THEIR QUOTE
HONEST BROKER UNQUOTE ROLE. WE ARE NOW AIMING TO REARRANGE
THE BRIEFING FOR 19 SEPTEMBER AND IN THE MEANTIME THE UNHCR
WILL BE PRESSED TO TAKE THE LEAD. WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR
ANY SUPPORT UKMIS GENEVA CAN PROVIDE IN PERSUADING UNHCR TO
PLAY A MORE CONSTRUCTIVE ROLE.
WILSON
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.