HKK243/1
CALO LA MOISTRY 2O. 51
17 APP:979
British High Commission
PO Box 1812 Wellington New Zealand
INJCX
PA
No
812.4
f
RY
ken
Telex NZ 3325 Telegraphic address UKREP Telephone 0000726-049.
P Morgan Esq
UN Department
FCO
Your reference
UNS 243/13
Our reference
243/1
Date
2 April 1979
1 caw Morgan,
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: THE NEW ZEALAND PROGRAMME
467
Upon receipt of your letter of 9 March I called to see Nancy Mullins the Head of the UN Division in the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs who is responsible for policy towards Vietnamese refugees. She asked the desk officer responsible for the subject to join us.
2
on
The New Zealand officials told me that they were aware of only one refugee from Hong Kong who had SO far been admitted to New Zealand. In this case there had been a family connection with someone already in New Zealand. The New Zealanders pointed out that where such connections could be established an early and favourable decision could be expected any applications to come to New Zealand. I said that I did not imagine that this would go very far to help the Hong Kong Government with their refugee problem. It seemed to US that it should not be difficult for the New Zealanders to admit а limited number of refugees from Hong Kong now that they had agreed to the principle of refugees coming from Malaysia and Thailand. Moreover since they would be bringing these refugees through Hong Kong I wondered whether their own interests in ey trade with Hong Kong did not suggest that they should seriously consider extending their programme to cover the admission of refugees at present in Hong Kong.
3.
ai
The New Zealanders took the point although they were pains to stress that Ministers had agreed to the present programme solely on the grounds that this was something that could be done to help ASEAN countries. They thought that it would be difficult to get agreement for any further increase in the number of refugees to be admitted to New Zealand. The situation is that there are firm plans to take 900 and Some expectation that a further 600 will be admitted.
4.
I asked that the MFA should discuss my representations urgently with the Department of Labour. We will enquire again in two to three weeks to see whether there is any flexibility in the New Zealand position.
CC:
I C Orr Esq
Jours increly
GR Archer
Government Secretariat
Hong Kong
SWPD, FCO
HK&GD, FCO