(449)
CONFIDENTIAL
MKD 24,319
243.7
147272
MDHIAN 0560
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
ΤΟ IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO
1173
OF 131125Z APRIL 89
INFO PRIORITY BANGKOK, HANOI, WASHINGTON, UKMIS GENEVA, SINGAPORE INFO PRIORITY MANILA, JAKARTA, KUALA LUMPUR, BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
MY TELNO 1163 (NOW REPEATED TO ALL): VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: SUBCOMMITTEE ON DEPARTURES AND REPATRIATION
I AM INTERESTED TO SEE THAT THE IDEA IS GAINING CURRENCY OF A REGIONAL HOLDING CENTRE TO WHICH THOSE SCREENED OUT WOULD BE TRANSFERRED SIX MONTHS AFTER THEIR STATUS HAD BEEN DETERMINED. THIS PROPOSAL IF PROPERLY IMPLEMENTED COULD EFFECTIVELY DEAL WITH MOST OF THE PROBLEMS - POLITICAL, FINANCIAL AND ON ACCOMMODATION THAT WE NOW FACE IN HANDLING THE VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE PROBLEM.
2.
―
I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD CONSIDER INSTRUCTING ASEAN POSTS TO EXPLORE MORE FULLY HOW MUCH COLLECTIVE WEIGHT ASEAN IS PREPARED TO PUT BEHIND THIS PROPOSAL. I RECOMMEND ALSO THAT WE SHOULD LOBBY UNHCR STRONGLY IN FAVOUR OF INVOLVING THEMSELVES IN SUCH A SCHEME. GIVEN THE AMBIVALENCE OF AMERICAN VIEWS ON THE FUTURE OF THOSE SCREENED OUT, IT WOULD ALSO BE HELPFUL TO PRESS THE AMERICANS TO USE THEIR INFLUENCE WITH UNHCR AND ASEAN TO PROMOTE THE REGIONAL HOLDING CENTRE IDEA.
FUNDING FOR SUCH AN OPERATION IS CLEARLY GOING TO BE A PROBLEM, ESPECIALLY FOR UNHCR. THE JAPANESE MIGHT WELL BE WILLING TO HELP.
3.
WILSON
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
96
DISTRIBUTION
102
.VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HK
LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
NEWS
PS
PS/LORD GI ENARTHUR
PS/MR PATTEN ODA
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CONFIDENTIAL
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