GRS 165
RESTRICTED
RESTRICTED
HKK 243/1
MOLLIVED IN REGISTRY NO. S
7 JUN1979
DISK OFFICER
930
FM HONG KONG 020420Z JUN 79
TO PRIORITY F C O
CRANE
REGST:
TELEGRAM NUMBER 715 OF 2 JUNE
смедзарта
INDO
PA
Action T.
по 107.6
比
INFO UKMIS GENEVA
Seef 933
6810
1970
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: LEGAL ASPECTS.
1. GRATEFUL FOR ANY CLARIFICATION YOU CAN PROVIDE (POSSIBLY FROM THE LAW OFFICERS DEPARTMENT YOUR TELNO 335) ON THE FOLLOWING
POINTS :
A. ARE WE CORRECT IN BELIEVING THAT THERE IS NO FORMAL OBLIGATION
ON THE UK AND/OR DEPENDENT TERRITORIES TO GIVE ASYLUM TO REFUGEES ? FROM DOCUMENTS AVAILABLE HERE, THE CLEAREST DECLARATORY STATEMENT ON THE SUBJECT APPEARS TO BE PARA 2 OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION 428 (V) OF 14 DECEMBER 1950, WHICH CALLS UPON GOVERN- MENTS TO COOPERATE WITH THE UNHCR ESPECIALLY BY: "'... (C) ADMITTING REFUGEES TO THEIR TERRITORIES, NOT EXCLUDING THOSE IN THE MOST DESTITUTE CATEGORIES.""
B. ARE WE CORRECT IN OUR BELIEF THAT ALTHOUGH THE UK IS A PARTY TO THE 1951 ''CONVENTION RELATING TO THE STATUS OF REFUGEES'' AND THE 1967 ''PROTOCOL RELATING TO THE STATUS OF REFUGEES' NEITHER INSTRUMENT HAS BEEN EXTENDED BY THE UK TO APPLY TO HONG KONG 7
MACLEHOSE
FILE S
SEAD
HK & GD
UND
FED
EFSD
NAM D
SAD
EID (E) PUSD
SIR A DUFF
SIR A PARSONS
MR CORTAZZI
MR LEAHY
MR MURRAY
COPIES TO:
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE
LONDON .
MR BURLEIGH HOME OFFICE
QUEEN ANNE'S GATE
MR BIRT HOME OFFICE
LUNAR HOUSE CROYDON
MR V MCGEE FAO ODA
OI D
IPD
NEWS D
MVD
LEGAL ADVISERS
PS
PS/LIS
PS/MR HURD
PS/MR BLAKER PS/PUS
RESTRICTED
7