TNAG-1977-FCO40-2810-Arrivals-figures-and-procedures-for-Vietnamese-refugees-in-H-1989 — Page 114

CONFIDENTIAL

037501

MDHOAN 0490

MKD 243/22

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON

TELNO 835

OF 04123OZ MAY 89

AND TO IMMEDIATE HONG

KONG

TO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA, UKMIS NEW YORK, HANOI, PEKING AND TO ROUTINE KUALA LUMPUR, BANGKOK, MANILA, JAKARTA, CANBERRA AND TO ROUTINE OTTAWA, PARIS

VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE

1. MINISTERS ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE

GRAVITY OF THE SITUATION NOW FACING HONG KONG. AS YOU WILL HAVE SEEN, WE ARE MAKING EVERY EFFORT TO BRING PRESSURE TO BEAR ON THE VIETNAMESE TO REDUCE THE OUTFLOW, AND ON THE CHINESE TO STOP COAST-HOPPERS AND LAND BORDER CROSSERS GOING ON TO HONG KONG.

THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE IN JUNE (ICIR) WILL HOWEVER BE THE

KEY TO A DURABLE SOLUTION.

2.

THE US ATTITUDE WILL DO MUCH TO DETERMINE THE SUCCESS OF

THE CONFERENCE. WHILE WE VERY MUCH WELCOME THE AMERICAN WILLING- NESS TO GIVE A POSITIVE LEAD ON RESETTLEMENT, WE ENTIRELY AGREE WITH THE GOVERNOR CHONG KONG TELNO 1397) THAT A CLEAR RESETTLE-

MENT PROGRAMME WHICH IS NOT ACCOMPANIED BY AN EQUALLY CLEAR

MESSAGE ON WHAT IS TO HAPPEN TO THOSE SCREENED OUT COULD BE COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE IN TERMS OF REDUCING THE NUMBERS TRYING TO LEAVE VIETNAM BY BOAT. THE US ARGUMENT QUOTED IN PARA 1 OF YOUR

TELNO 1225 SIMPLY DOES NOT HOLD WATER. HONG KONG'S SCREENING POLICY HAS BEEN WELL PUBLICISED (BY THE VIETNAMESE, THROUGH THE BBC VIETNAMESE SERVICE AND IN OTHER WAYS) SINCE IT WAS INTRO- DUCED LAST JUNE. YET MORE THAN 15,000 BOAT PEOPLE HAVE ARRIVED SINCE THEN.

2.

MORE GENERALLY, THE AMERICAN APPROACH ON REPATRIATION AND A REGIONAL HOLDING CENTRE DESCRIBED IN WASHINGTON TELNO 1213 STRIKES US AS FAR TOO LEISURELY TO MEET THE NEEDS OF HONG KONG OR INDEED THE OTHER FIRST ASYLUM COUNTRIES. IT ALSO LETS THE VIETNAMESE OFF MUCH TOO LIGHT.

3

AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND AND SUBJECT TO YOUR VIEWS, MCLAREN PROPOSES TO VISIT WASHINGTON IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS FOR TALKS WITH THOSE CONCERNED WITH REFUGEE MATTERS. HE WOULD BE ACCOMPANIED BY COLVIN (SEAD). AS SEEN FROM HERE, THE MOST APPROPRIATE DATES FOR SUCH A VISIT WOULD BE THE FIRST HALF OF THE WEEK BEGINNING 15 MAY, IN THE RUN-UP TO THE ICG MEETING IN LONDON ON 22 MAY AND THE CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE MEETING IN

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CONFIDENTIAL