CONFIDENTIAL
HKD 24319
нко
2
041315
MDHIAN 3419
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1421
OF 051015Z MAY 89
་
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, HANOI, UKMIS GENEVA
130
OPY ST ?
YOUR TELNO 1412 : OUR TELNOS 1077 AND 1143 : VIETNAMESE BOAT
PEOPLE : SOUTH CHINA HOLDING CENTRE
AS SEEN FROM HERE, THE SOUTH CHINA HOLDING CENTRE (SCHC) WOULD BE THE LOGICAL CONCLUSION OF OUR PROPOSAL TO THE CHINESE THAT THEY HOLD ALL VBP WHO PASS THROUGH CHINESE TERRITORY BY LAND OR SEA. WE ENVISAGE THE SCHC AS HAVING THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERISTICS:
(I) IT WOULD BE SITUATED CLOSE TO THE VIETNAMESE BORDER AND ALL VBP DETAINED ALONG THE COAST OR INLAND WOULD BE TRANSFERRED TO THE CENTRE PENDING REPATRIATION OR POSSIBLY RESETTLEMENT.
(II)
IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THE CHANCES OF UNHCR INVOLVEMENT, WE THINK IT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO UNDERTAKE SCREENING AT THE SCHC. VBP WHO WERE GRANTED REFUGEE STATUS WOULD THEN BECOME THE RESPONSIBILITY OF UNHCR AND RESETTLEMENT PLACES WOULD HAVE TO BE FOUND. THOSE SCREENED OUT WOULD BE REPATRIATED. WE BELIEVE VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION FROM THE SCHC MIGHT BE A MORE POPULAR OPTION THAN IT WOULD BE FROM HONG KONG.
(III) IF THE CHINESE ARE TO SEE ANY MERIT IN THIS IDEA WE WOULD HAVE TO MAKE SOME PROPOSALS ON FUNDING. ONE POSSIBILITY IS GENERAL INTERNATIONAL FUNDING IN THE CONTEXT OF THE ICIR. HOWEVER, THIS MIGHT LEAD TO PRESSURE TO TURN THE SCHC INTO THE MORE GENERAL RHC WHICH WE ASSUME WOULD NOT BE AT ALL ATTRACTIVE TO THE CHINESE. WE SUGGEST FUNDING ON A TRIPARTITE BASIS I.E. UK/HK/CHINA, WITH CHINESE CONTRIBUTION LIMITED TO PROVISION OF THE SITE. WE ARE NOT ABLE TO PREDICE THE COSTS INVOLVED BUT WE RECOMMENT THAT ANY CONTRIBUTIONS BE TIED TO THE CAPITAL AND RECURRENT COSTS OF THE CENTRE RATHER THAN A PER CAPITA CHARGE.
(IV) THE SCHC WOULD HOLD NOT ONLY THOSE PEOPLE DETAINED IN CHINA BUT PREFERRABLY ALSO THOSE PEOPLE WHO EVADE DETENTION IN CHINA AND TRAVEL ON TO HONG KONG. THESE PEOPLE COULD BE TRANSFERRED FROM
HONG KONG TO THE SCHC.
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