SECRET FM FCO
TO DESKBY 172200Z WASHINGTON
TELNO 904
OF 17183OZ MAY 91
SECRET
037251 MDHOAN 3712
FOLLOWING FOR PRIVATE SECRETARY
FCO TELNO 884: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE
1. -THE
THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE FROM THE PRIME MINISTER TO PRESIDENT BUSH WAS PASSED TO THE WHITE HOUSE VIA THE HOT LINE THIS EVENING. BEGINS WHEN WE MET IN BERMUDA IN MARCH.I EXPLAINED THAT WE FACED A BIG PROBLEM IN HONG KONG OVER VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE. ARRIVALS WERE UP 200 PER CENT THIS YEAR AND THERE WERE AT LEAST 40.000 NON-REFUGEES IN THE CAMPS WHO WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK TO VIETNAM. I EXPLAINED THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT COULD NOT HOLD THE POSITION MUCH LONGER AND THERE WAS REALLY NO ALTERNATIVE TO MANDATORY REPATRIATION.
SINCE MARCH. THE SITUATION HAS SHARPLY DETERIORATED
:
•
ARRIVALS
THE
ARE NOW RUNNING AT THEIR HIGHEST SINCE THE CRISIS LEVEL OF 1989. 378 VIETNAMESE ARRIVED ON 7 MAY ALONE. AT THE SAME TIME, THE NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS TO RETURN TO VIETNAM HAS FALLEN VIRTUALLY TO ZERO. THE SETTLEMENT. IN THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S FAVOUR OF MOST OF THE JUDICIAL REVIEW CASES HAS MADE NO DIFERENCE. RECENT HIGH LEVEL MEETING IN GENEVA WAS GREETED WITH INDIFFERENCE. THE TOTAL CAMP POPULATION AT 54.037 IS NOW CLOSE TO THE 1989 PEAK LEVEL. BECAUSE WE HAVE PLAYED BY THE RULES AND OTHERS HAVE NOT. HONG KONG IS NOW RECEIVING MORE THAN 95 PER CENT OF ALL ARRIVALS IN THE REGION. THE GOVERNOR ESTIMATES THAT THE UPPER LIMIT OF THE CAMPS IS 60.000 WHICH COULD BE REACHED WITHIN ABOUT TWO MONTHS IF PRESENT ARRIVAL RATES CONTINUE.
THE BOAT PEOPLE PROBLEM ALSO CONSTITUTES A LARGE FINANCIAL BURDEN ON THE BRITISH AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENTS. OVER 42 MILLION POUNDS LAST YEAR. EACH YEAR THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT SPENDS 2360 US DOLLARS DIRECTLY AND 450 US DOLLARS VIA UNHCR ON EACH VIETNAMESE MAN. WOMAN AND CHILD IN THE CAMPS. EQUIVALENT TO A
THERE TAX OF 20 US DOLLARS. PER HEAD ON EVERY HONG KONG CITIZEN.
IN IS GROWING FRUSTRATION AT THE FAILURE TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. A RECENT POLL 88 PER CENT OF HONG KONG CITIZENS WANTED THE GOVERNMENT TO ABANDON FIRST ASYLUM.THE GOVERNOR IS VERY CONCERNED THAT THE FINANCIAL COMMITTEE OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WILL CUT OFF FUNDS IF THERE IS NO PROSPECT OF A DURABLE
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