CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 3821
OF 171031Z NOVEMBER 89
CONFIDENTIAL
HKB 243 /1\
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
011700
MDHIAN 5038
177
enter
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: UK ASSISTANCE
REPORTS HAVE APPEARED IN THE PRESS OVER THE LAST TWO DAYS QUOTING LONDON SOURCES TO THE EFFECT THAT THE HKG WAS SEEKING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM HMG TO ENABLE US TO COPE WITH A MAJOR INFLUX OF VBP IN 1990. A REPORT FROM SIMON MACKLIN IN THE MORNING POST ON 16 NOVEMBER QUOTED A LONDON SOURCE AS SAYING THAT THE GOVERNOR WOULD BE RAISING THIS ISSUE WITH FCO OFFICIALS. A REUTERS REPORT YESTERDAY FROM LONDON QUOTED A SOURCE AS SAYING THAT THE HKG FEARED THAT A FURTHER 50,000 VBP MIGHT ARRIVE IN HONG KONG NEXT YEAR. THE FIGURE OF 30,000 POSSIBLE ARRIVALS HAS ALSO BEEN MENTIONED.
2.
RTHK HAVE PICKED UP THESE REPORTS AND PUT US UNDER SOME PRESSURE TO COMMENT ON CONTINGENCY PLANNING. WE CAN HARDLY DENY THAT SENSIBLE CONTINGENCY PLANS HAVE BEEN MADE, PARTICULARY AS SO MUCH OF THIS PLANNING IS WELL KNOWN TO UNHCR AND MANY OF THE VOLUNTARY AGENCIES. HOWEVER WE DO NOT WANT TO SIGNAL THE IMPRESSION TO VIETNAM THAT WE ARE ANTICIPATING AND PREPARING ACCOMMODATION FOR A LARGE INFLUX NEXT YEAR. AS FAR AS POSSIBLE WE MUST AVOID ANYTHING THAT COULD ACT AS A ''PULL FACTOR''.
3.
WE HAVE THEREFORE RESPONDED TO THESE REPORTS AS FOLLOWS:
(A) HKG HAS MADE NO PREDICTIONS OF ARRIVAL RATES FOR 1990 BUT
FLEXIBLE CONTINGENCY PLANS HAVE BEEN PREPARED TO ENABLE US TO COPE IN THE EVENT OF A MAJOR INFLUX. THESE PLANS SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN TO BE ANYTHING OTHER THAN PRUDENT PRECAUTIONS: THERE IS NO FIRM EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST A HIGH ARRIVAL RATE
DURING 1990.
(B) THESE CONTINGENCY PLANS INVOLVE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW
DETENTION CENTRE ON A REMOTE ISLAND. NO DECISIONS HAVE BEEN MADE ON THE FUNDING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THIS AND OTHER PROJECTS. A FURTHER HKG CONTRIBUTION IS POSSIBLE BUT IT MIGHT ALSO BE NECESSARY TO SEEK FUNDS FROM FINANCE COMMITTEE.
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CONFIDENTIAL
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