CONFIDENTIAL
HILL
Canada
11h
とっれー
171645
MDLIAN 9127
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 2717
OF 080458Z SEPTEMBER 90
AND TO PRIORITY OTTAWA
INFO PRIORITY UKREP JLG HONG KONG, HKGO WASHINGTON
VISIT TO HONG KONG OF THE HON. BARBARA MACDOUGALL, MINISTER FOR EMPLOYMENT AND IMMIGRATION: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE AND EMIGRATION.
SUMMARY
1. A VERY FULL PROGRAMME AND A VERY POLISHED PERFORMANCE BY MS MACDOUGALL: CONTINUED EXPRESSIONS OF SUPPORT FOR HONG KONG: ACCEPTANCE THAT SOONER OR LATER WE MUST BITE THE BULLET ON
REPATRIATING VBPS.
PROGRAMME
•
·
2. THE MINISTER VISITED HONG KONG FROM SUNDAY 2 SEPTEMBER, TO THURSDAY 6 SEPTEMBER AND PURSUED A FULL PROGRAMME OF CALLS ON OFFICIALS VISITS TO VBP CAMPS AND CONTACTS WITH THE CANADIAN COMMUNITY. SHE GAVE A MAJOR SPEECH ON THE WEDNESDAY AND SPENT
MUCH OF THE MORNING WITH THE MEDIA.
VBP
3. MS MACDOUGALL VISITED WHITEHEAD DETENTION CENTRE (FOR VBP EITHER SCREENED OUT OR YET TO BE SCREENED) AND PILLAR POINT (FOR THOSE GIVEN REFUGEE STATUS) ON 4 SEPTEMBER. SHE TOOK PARTICULAR INTEREST IN LIVING CONDITIONS AT BOTH CAMPS AND IN HKG SCREENING PROCEDURES AT WHITEHEAD. SHE HAD NO CRITICAL COMMENTS ON EITHER TO THE PRESS OR IN PRIVATE. IN HER MEETING WITH ME SHE SAID THAT THE CANADIANS HAD PREVIOUSLY HAD SOME RESERVATIONS ABOUT THE WAY OUR SCREENING POLICY WAS CARRIED OUT BUT THEIR CONCERNS HAD BEEN ALMOST ENTIRELY LAID TO REST BY THE IMPROVEMENTS MADE.
4. IN A PRIVATE LUNCH WITH CANADIAN, HKG, UNHCR, AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES REPRESENTATIVES, THE MINISTER EMPHASIZED THE IMPORTANCE IN CANADIAN EYES OF SECURING THE FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CPA, INCLUDING NON-VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION. MS MACDOUGALL SAID THAT THE CANADIANS SAW THIS AS BEING BEST ACHIEVED BY REACHING INTERNATIONAL CONSENSUS THROUGH THE STEERING COMMITTEE MECHANISM. SHE REPEATED THE SAME GENERAL POINTS ON A LIVE RADIO INTERVIEW ON
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