TNAG-1972-FCO40-2805-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation-1989 — Page 43

CONFIDENTIAL

нко

MID 243/8

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 956

OF 04142OZ MAY 89

INFO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON, UKMIS GENEVA, HANOI, PEKING

(198)

037730

MDHOAN 0503

FROM HKD AND SEAD: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE : THE WAY AHEAD

1.

LORD GLENARTHUR TODAY CHAIRED A MEETING ON THE PROBLEM OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG. THE MEETING FOCUSSED ON WHAT ACTION COULD BE TAKEN IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE.

LORD GLENARTHUR WILL CHAIR A FURTHER MEETING ON 8 MAY TO CONSIDER STRATEGY AND TACTICS FOR THE ICIR.

THE FOLLOWING MEASURES WERE AGREED:

INFORMING AND LOBBYING KEY PLAYERS.

2. WE SHOULD URGENTLY INFORM OTHER GOVERNMENTS

OF THE VERY SERIOUS SITUATION IN HONG KONG, AND OF THE

CONSEQUENT NEED TO FACE UP TO THE PROBLEM OF THE SCREENED OUT IN THE CONTEXT OF THE ICIR. (WE ARE TELEGRAPHING SEPARATELY TO

POSTS ABOUT THIS.) ONCE WE HAVE DECIDED ON OUR OBJECTIVES

FOR THE ICIR, WE WOULD NEED TO LOBBY THE KEY PLAYERS FOR SUPPORT INTER ALIA IN THE ICG AND COORDINATING COMMITTEE MEETINGS. 3. THE US WAS RECOGNISED AS A PARTICULAR PROBLEM. THEY HAD

WE WOULD NEED TO MAKE A SPECIAL EFFORT TO BRING HOME TO THE AMERICANS THE PRESSURES BUILDING UP IN THE TERRITORY WHICH, IF NOT ADEQUATELY ADDRESSED IN THE ICIR, COULD THREATEN THE FIRST ASYLUM PRINCIPLE. GILLMORE HAS ALREADY MADE THESE POINTS TO THE US AMBASSADOR TODAY. MR MCLAREN PLANS TO VISIT WASHINGTON IN THE WEEK BEGINNING 15 MAY TO CALL ON OFFICIALS IN THE STATE DEPARTMENT AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL POSSIBLE.

OVERSPILL CENTRE OUTSIDE HONG KONG.

4. WE SHOULD EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITY OF AN OVERSPILL CENTRE WHICH MIGHT BE ESTABLISHED ELSEWHERE IN THE REGION TO ACCOMMODATE NEW ARRIVALS IN HONG KONG. MIFT SETS OUT OUR THOUGHTS ON THIS. VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION PROGRAMME AND SCREENING PROCEDURES

5. WE SHOULD DO MORE TO ENCOURAGE VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE TO VOLUNTEER

TO RETURN. OUR SECOND IFT (NOT TO ALL) ASKS WHAT CAN BE DONE TO SPEED UP THE PRESENT SCREENING PROCEDURES, GIVEN THAT SOME PEOPLE MAY VOLUNTEER ONLY AFTER THEIR APPEALS HAVE FINALLY TURNED DOWN. CONTINUING PRESSURE ON THE CHINESE.

6.

WE SHOULD MAINTAIN PRESSURE ON THE CHINESE

TO STOP COAST HOPPING AND TO DETAIN THOSE WHO CROSS INTO CHINA BY

1

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