TNAG-2233-FCO40-3206-Visits-by-the-Office-of-Members-of-the-Executive-and-Legisla-1991 — Page 59

CONFIDENTIAL

123007 MDHIAN 0033

THE END OF 1991. IN RESPONSE TO COMMENTS THAT THE BRITISH EMBASSY IN HANOI WAS INADEQUATELY STAFFED, HE ASSURED MEMBERS THAT WE WERE WELL SERVED BY THE STAFF THERE.

COMMENT

8.

THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE LOBBYING BEHIND THE SCENES TO ENSURE THAT THE CHEONG AMENDMENT WAS PASSED. MOST MEMBERS ACKNOWLEDGED THE INHERENT DIFFICULTIES IN ABOLISHING FIRST ASYLUM, BUT WARNED THAT THEIR PATIENCE WAS RUNNING OUT AND THAT THEY EXPECTED PROGRESS IN FINDING A SOLUTION WITHIN TWO MONTHS.

9. WE NEED TO TAKE SERIOUSLY LEGCO'S WARNING THAT THEIR PATIENCE, AND THAT OF THE COMMUNITY, IS RUNNING OUT. A SENSE OF DEEPLY FELT FRUSTRATION PERMEATED THE ENTIRE DEBATE. THIS WAS PARTICULARLY EVIDENT IN WHAT WAS SAID ABOUT HONG KONG HAVING TO PAY FOR AND MANAGE A PROBLEM WHICH WAS NOT OF ITS OWN MAKING AND ABOUT DECISIONS BEING MADE MORE IN LONDON THAN IN HONG KONG. LEGCO HAS ALREADY MADE IT CLEAR THAT THEY WOULD NOT VOTE FOR MORE FUNDS TO BUILD NEW CAMPS. IF ANYTHING, THIS DEBATE WILL HAVE STRENGTHENED THAT VIEW: SO MANY MEMBERS HAVE NOW NAILED THEIR COLOURS PUBLICLY TO THE MAST. ONLY ONE MEMBER, JIMMY MACGREGOR, SPOKE IN THE CONTRARY SENSE. IT IS LIKELY THAT THE OMELCO DELEGATION TO THE U.K. WILL USE THE MOTION TO PRESS HMG FOR MORE ASSISTANCE, BOTH FINANCIAL AND DIPLOMATIC. THE NEWS OF THE OUTCOME OF THEY TALKS WITH THE AMERICANS CAME TOO LATE TO HAVE ANY EFFECT ON THE DEBATE, ALTHOUGH AS RECORDED ABOVE, IT WAS DRAWN ON BY STRACHAN IN HIS SPEECH. WE CAN BE SURE THAT PROGRESS IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH VIETNAM TO GET SCREENED OUT RETURNED, WHETHER TO IMCS OR UNDER THE VOLUNTARY SCHEME, WILL BE VERY CLOSELY WATCHED.

WILSON

YYYY

DISTRIBUTION

134

ΜΑΙΝ

127

.VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HK

PS

LIMITED

SEAD

PS/MRS CHALKER

PS/LORD CAITHNESS

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CONFIDENTIAL