CONFIDENTIAL
007467
MDHOA 4596
RESETTLEMENT MEETING IN BANGKOK (BANGKOK TELNO 666). THIS THREAT ALSO RAN COUNTER TO THE SPIRIT ESTABLISHED IN WASHINGTON, AND WOULD EXCITE OPINION HERE, BUT MORE PARTICULARLY IN HONG KONG. IT WOULD MAKE OUR RELATIONSHIP VERY DIFFICULT IF THIS KIND OF THREAT BECAME GENERAL CURRENCY.
5.
GILLMORE OUTLINED FOR US BENEFIT AGAIN THE DIFFICULTIES IN HONG KONG. THERE WERE A POTENTIAL 38,000 PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE SCREENED OUT. NEITHER THE US NOR ANY OTHER PARTY HAD MADE ANY SUGGESTIONS ABOUT TAKING THESE OFF OUR HANDS, LEAVING HONG KONG TO BE LUMBERED WITH THEM (WOODS DID NOT DEMUR.) THE LION'S SHARE OF THE COST OF PROVIDING FIRST ASYLUM HAD BEEN BORNE BY THE HONG KONG TAXPAYER, AND COSTS WERE ALSO NOW BEING SHARED BY THE BRITISH TAXPAYER. THERE WAS ALSO A FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEM OF THE AVAILABILITY OF LAND IN HONG KONG: THERE WAS SCARCELY ENOUGH LAND TO BUILD SUFFICIENT HOUSING FOR THE HONG KONG PEOPLE, LET ALONE
FOR BOAT PEOPLE.
6.
GILLMORE SAID THAT WE HAD SPENT MUCH TIME IN RECENT MONTHS EXPLAINING PATIENTLY TO WASHINGTON THE EXTENT OF OUR DIFFICULTIES. WE HAD TRIED TO KEEP OUR DIFFERENCES AS COOL AS POSSIBLE. HE WAS CONCERNED THAT THE LANGUAGE OF THE DEMARCHE TO HOCKE MIGHT RETURN US TO THE PRE-AUGUST ATMOSPHERE OF CONTENTIOUS POINT SCORING. WE DID NOT WISH THIS TO HAPPEN.
7. WOODS ASKED HOW FAR WE HAD GOT IN OUR NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE VIETNAMESE GILLMORE EXPLAINED THAT WE NOW HAD LITTLE MORE TO DO. THERE WERE OVER 1,800 PEOPLE SCREENED OUT. THE RATE WAS INCREASING AT AROUND 200 A WEEK. WOODS SPOKE OF CONGRESSIONAL OPPOSITION TO ANY MOVE TO INVOLUNTARY REPATRIATION. GILLMORE HOPED OUR CONSULTATIONS HAD HELPED. WE WERE KEEN TO UNDERSTAND US DIFFICULTIES. WE WOULD STILL BE INTERESTED TO SEE THE AMERICAN PAPER ON THE GLOBAL REFUGEE PROBLEM, SO THAT WE COULD SEE WHERE OUR INTENTIONS TOWARDS VIETNAMESE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FITTED IN TO THEIR WORLD-WIDE POLICY, INCLUDING THEIR HANDLING OF CENTRAL AMERICANS, HAITIANS AND OTHERS.
8. COLVIN POINTED OUT THAT THE US ATTITUDE TO REPATRIATION WAS CAUSING PROBLEMS FOR OTHER SOUTH EAST ASIAN COUNTRIES, AND NOW JAPAN. ALL WERE KEEN TO KNOW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO THOSE SCREENED OUT. GILLMORE SAID THAT EAGLEBURGER HAD BEEN CONCERNED THAT WE WOULD CREATE A BANDWAGON ONTO WHICH THAILAND AND MALAYSIA WOULD QUICKLY JUMP, WITH FEWER SCRUPLES THAN HMG. HE REPEATED HIS SUGGESTION THAT HONG KONG BE TREATED AS DIFFERENT BECAUSE OF THE EARLIER INTRODUCTION OF SCREENING AND CURRENT PRESSURES THERE: THIS WOULD GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE A GOOD MODEL FOR OTHER FIRST ASYLUM PLACES TO FOLLOW. WE ALL KNEW IN OUR HEART OF HEARTS THAT PEOPLE WOULD ULTIMATELY HAVE TO BE DEPORTED TO
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CONFIDENTIAL
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