TNAG-2072-FCO40-2951-Vietnamese-boat-people-arriving-in-Hong-Kong-from-Macau-coop-1990 — Page 17

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CONFIDENTIAL

HKB

106675

MDLIAN 8148

243129

NR

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 992

OF 21123OZ MARCH 90

29 MAR 1990

INFO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA, LISBON, HANOI

MIPT: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: MACAU

THE FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF LETTER REFERRED TO IN MIPT.

1

''I AM WRITING TO SEEK YOUR ASSISTANCE OVER THE PROBLEM OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE. AS YOU ARE AWARE, THIS HAS BECOME A GRAVE

BURDEN FOR HONG KONG.

2.

'A NUMBER OF VIETNAMESE ARRIVE IN HONG KONG AFTER FIRST LANDING IN MACAU. TO GIVE ONE RECENT EXAMPLE, A BOAT CARRYING 107 PEOPLE ARRIVED IN HONG KONG ON 29 FEBRUARY. THIS GROUP HAD ARRIVED IN MACAU IN SEPARATE GROUPS BETWEEN 22 AND 26 FEBRUARY. THEY WERE SUBSEQUENTLY TOWED TO OPEN SEAS IN THE DIRECTION OF HONG KONG BY THE MACAU MARINE POLICE ON 26 FEBRUARY.

T T

3.

GIVEN THAT MACAU IS A PORT OF FIRST ASYLUM, AND THAT REFUGEES ARE RESETTLED FROM MACAU WITH THE AID OF UNHCR, THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT VERY MUCH HOPES THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF MACAU CAN HOLD SUCH ARRIVALS IN MACAU PENDING RESETTLEMENT RATHER THAN PASS THEM ON TO HONG KONG. WE WERE PARTICULARLY DISTURBED THAT YOUR MARINE POLICE ASSISTED THE RECENT GROUP OF VIETNAMESE TO MAKE THE CROSSING TO HONG KONG. I WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL IF YOU COULD ASSURE US THAT

THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN IN FUTURE.

4. ''I WOULD BE VERY HAPPY TO DISCUSS THIS QUESTION WITH YOU. IT IS ONE WHICH POSES OUR TWO ADMINISTRATIONS SERIOUS DIFFICULTIES, NOT OF OUR MAKING, AND ON WHICH WE BOTH NEED TO CO-OPERATE.'

ENDS

WILSON

YYYY

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