GRS235
CONF INTIAL
FN FCO 16183OZ NOV 79
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
CONFIDENTIAL
43/1
HKK 24.3
RELLIVE
1862
TELEGRAM NUMBER 956 OF 15 NOVEMBER
BESK USHT
INFO WASHINGTON, UKMIS GENEVA, BANGKOK, SINGAPOREXJAKARTA, UKMIS NEW YORK, MANILA, KUALA LUMPUR
YOUR TELEGRAM NUMBER 1620: US REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT PROGRAMME.
FED
1. HOLBROOKE, US ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR EAST ASIA, EXPLAINED THE POSITION ON THIS TO MR BLAKER AND CORTAZZI TODAY ON THE LINES USED
BY THE US CONSUL GENERAL. THE US GOVERNMENT AND HOLBROOKE IN
PARTICULAR ARE CLEARLY DEEPLY WORRIED ABOUT THE SITUATION ON THE
CAMBODIAN/THAI BORDER. THEY THINK THAT THERE COULD SE A NEW MAJOR
INFLUX OF REFUGEES INTO THAILAND IN THE NEAR FUTURE AND THAT IN ORDER
TO DEMONSTRATE TO THE THAIS THEIR SUPPORT FOR KRIANGSAK'S POLICY OF
NON-REFOULEMENT THEY MUST GIVE TOP PRIORITY TO THAILAND, ALTHOUGH THEY REALISE THAT THE BULK OF THE REFUGEES ENTERING
THAILAND AT PRESENT ARE IN A
DIFFERENT CATEGORY FROM THE REFUGEES
FROM VIETNAM AND COULD RETURN TO CAMBODIA IF SATISFACTORY CONDITIONS
COULD BE ESTABLISHED THERE.
2. WE EXPRESSED 'OUR DISAPPOINTMENT ABOUT THE OFF-TAKE FROM HONG KONG
WHILE UNDERSTANDING US MOTIVES. WE STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF GETTING THE PROCESSING CENTRE IN THE PHILIPPINES GOING EFFECTIVELY. IF
THE OFF-TAKE FROM HONG KONG FELL DRAMATICALLY AND THERE VERE.
ANOTHER FLOOD OF REFUGEES FROM VIETNAM THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WOULD BE UNDER GREAT PRESSURE FROM LOCAL OPINION NOT TO ACCEPT MORE REFUGEE
IT WOULD BE VITAL THAT ANY SUCH REFUGEES COULD BE SENT STRAIGHT TO TE
PROCESSING CENTRE. HOLBROOKE ASSURED US THAT THE UNITED STATES
AMBASSADOR IN MANILA PAD CLEAR INSTRUCTIONS TO SUPPORT HONG KONG
OVER PARTICIPATION IN THE CENTRE. HE HIMSELF HAD MADE THE POINT
DIRECT TO PRESIDENT MARCOS:
;
CAPRINGTON
FILES
SEAD
HK & GD
FED
UND
PS/MR BLAKER PS/PUS
MR CORTAZZI
MR MURRAY
CONFIDENTIAL