CONFIDENTAL
GRS 240
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 160645Z APR 82
HITH 243.
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 355 OF 16 APRIL
INFO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE LONDON
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(sp)
YOURTELNO 235 AND BANGKOK TELNO 205: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.
сче
28/4: AP 2914
1. WE HAVE CONSIDERED THE SUGGESTION MADE IN TELECON WILLIAMSON/
DAVIES THAT A REPRESENTATIVE FROM HONG KONG SHOULD JOIN THE UK DELEGATION TO THE PROPOSED TECHNICAL MEETING IN GENEVA ON 22 APRIL.
2. THE UNHCR REPRESENTATIVE HERE KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT THE STATUS
OF THE MEETING, THE AGENDA AND MATTERS FOR DISCUSSION, OR WHO IS BEING INVITED TO ATTEND. GRATEFUL IF UKMIS GENEVA COULD PROVIDE
THIS INFORMATION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
3. WE ARE CURRENTLY RE-EXAMINING OUR POLICIES REGARDING VIETNAMESE
REFUGEES AND WILL BE CONSULTING THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL SHORTLY. IF OUR ASSESSMENT THAT THE REFUGEE POPULATION IN HONG KONG MAY START TO RISE AGAIN IN MAY PROVES TO BE CORRECT THIS WILL RAISE DIFFICULT POLITICAL ISSUES. ON THIS ACCOUNT AND BECAUSE HONG KONG HAS THE LARGEST BOAT REFUGEE POPULATION IN THE REGION IT IS OF CONSIDERABLE IMPORTANCE THAT WE SHOULD BE SEEN TO BE PRESENT AT ANY MEETING AT WHICH RESETTLEMENT PRIORITIES OR UNHCR POLICIES TOWARDS VIETNAMESE BOAT REFUGEES ARE DISCUSSED.
4. ACCORDINGLY WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF ARRANGEMENTS COULD BE MADE FOR THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY (L M DAVIES) TO BE A MEMBER OF THE U K DELEGATION.
5. DAVIES COULD ARRIVE IN UK A M ON 20 APRIL EN ROUTE FOR GENEVA
OR COULD GO DIRECT TO GENEVA.
6. PLEASE CONFIRM URGENTLY THAT ATTENDANCE CAN BE ARRANGED AND
INDICATE MOST APPROPRIATE TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS.
MACLEHOSE
LIMITED
SEAD
COND
ARGO
NAD
MR GIFFARD
MR. DONALD
MR ADAMS
COPIES
AR GOVT
то
OFFICE
LONDON
CONFIDENMAL
65