GR 275
RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG 160902Z MAR
RESTRICTED
TO PRIORITY PEKING
TELNO 85 OF 16 MARCH, 1981
LONDON, UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON. INFO SAVING PARIS AND OTTAWA.
TOP COP
HICK
Miele 341/2 mon
उपना
RELOVED HUNTY NO. 31
INFO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE, HONG KONG GOVERNMENT1OFMER 1981
DESK OFACES
INDEX
PA
AP A'S LETTER OF 7 MARCH TO STITT, SEAD: VIETNAMED REFUGEES FROM CHINA.
8
1. UNHCR HAVE NOW AGREED, THAT IN PRINCIPLE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
SETTLED IN CHINA WHO COME ILLEGALLY TO HONG KONG SHOULD GO BACK TO CHINA. THE SMALL NUMBER WHO HAVE GENUINE POSSIBILITIES OF FURTHER RESETTLEMENT SHOULD APPLY TO THE UNHCR PEKING OFFICE.
26
2. WE HAVE, NEVERTHELESS, AGREED THAT A LIST OF 17 PEOPLE AT PRESENT IN DETENTION CAN BE EXEMPTED FROM REPATRIATION, PROVIDED THE CLAIMED RELATIONSHIPS PROVE GENUINE AND THE COUNTRIES CONCERNED GUARANTEE THEIR RESETTLEMENT. THIS WAS REQUESTED BY CASSELLA OF UNHCR, AND AGREED TO, AS A HELPFUL GESTURE TOWARDS THE CHINESE. HE SAID THEY WISHED TO MAKE GOOD AN UNDERTAING GIVEN BY THEIR MISSION IN GENEVA LAST YEAR TO LOOK SYMPATHETICALLY AT THE LONG LIST OF EXCEPTIONS FOR WHICH UNHCR WERE THEN ARGUING.
3. CASSELLA THOUGHT THAT AGREEING TO THESE LIMITED EXCEPTIONS MIGHT HELP PRODUCE EARLY REPATRIATION ARRANGEMENTS FOR THOSE STILL IN DETENTION HERE. WE HAVE, THEREFORE, TOLD THE NCNA, WHO HAVE A COPY OF THE LIST, THAT WE HAVE AGREED. GRATEFUL IF SIMILAR ACTION COULD BE TAKEN WITH THE MFA AND/OR MINISTRY OF CIVIL AFFAIRS.
4. GUANGDONG OFFICIALS WITH WHOM THIS PROBLEM WAS RAISED LAST
WEEK BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY AND POLITICAL ADVISER WERE HELPFUL AND SYMPATHETIC, BUT SOME PUSH FROM CHINESE OFFICIALS IN PEKING MIGHT ALSO BE HELPFUL WITH OTHER PROVINCES INVOLVED SINCE REPATRIATIONS
CAN ONLY GO AHEAD AFTER ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE WITH THEM BY
GUANGDONG.
F.C.O. PASS SAVING PARIS AND OTTAWA.
REGISTRY
Action Tuken
Par 2013
see
12
MACLEHOSE
[REPEATED AS REQUESTED}
17 MAR 1981
140.14
DESK INDEX
PA
ISTRY
ion Taken
SEAD
HK & GD
UND
FED
ECD
PUSD
INFORMATION D
NEWS D
PS
PS/LPS
PS/MR BLAKER PS/MR RIDLEY PS/PUS
SIR E YOUDE
STR A ACLAND
MR DONALD
LORD NG LENNOX
RESTRICTED-
PARA, SENZORITY + GARA.14'1'
COPIES TO:
MR RUSHFORD
LEGAL ADVISER
HONG KONG GOVT. OFFICE LONDON
THIS YELIG.M
WAS NOT ADVANCED
9