TNAG-2233-FCO40-3206-Visits-by-the-Office-of-Members-of-the-Executive-and-Legisla-1991 — Page 37

PS

RESTRICTED

Hn's 027/2 низ

26 JUN 1991

RECE

INO

ED

From:

A JN Tansley

SEAD

Date:

CC:

тра

11 June 1991

PS/Lord Caithness

Sir J Coles

Mr Burns

Mr Colvin, SEAD

Mr Paul, HKD

Mr Crystal, News Dept Special Advisers (2)

CALL ON THE SECRETARY OF STATE BY OMELCO DELEGATION: 11 JUNE

W 201 67

(

207

1. An OMELCO delegation consisting of Rita Fan, Elsie Tu, Hui Yin-Fat and Peggy Lam called on the Secretary of State at 11.30 on

11 June. Mr Burns was also present.

2.

After the Secretary of State had welcomed the delegation, Mrs Fan handed over a paper outlining the delegation's position on Vietnamese migrants. She said that the delegation's aim was to give the Secretary of State a first-hand account of the situation in Hong Kong. In the opinion of the people of Hong Kong the CPA had failed because of US and Vietnamese intransigence over mandatory repatriation. Hong Kong was now the only country in the region which offered first asylum. As a result, it was receiving nearly all new arrivals. Its resources were stretched to breaking point.

3. Mr Yin-Fat said that Hong Kong's patience was now at an end. Before screening was introduced Hong Kong had served as host to more than 150,000 Vietnamese refugees passing through the territory. There were more than 59,000 migrants in Hong Kong who could not be moved. There had been trouble in the camps in 1989 and more was likely in the future. Mr Yin-Fat said that in his opinion the mandatory repatriation flight in December 1989 had had the effect of

--