B.
JAN
FEB
MAR
CONFIDENTIAL
ETHNIC ORIGIN OF ARRIVALS, 1 JANUARY TO 28 MARCH 1982.
CHINESE
VIETNAMESE
SOUTH
NORTH
SOUTH
NORTH
TOTAL
302
87
389
f
305
5
310
13
18
594
100
725
TOTAL AS PERCENTAGE ·
13
(0.91)
18
(1.26)
1,201 (84.34)
192
(13.49)
1,424
(100)
C. WE SUGGEST SIR E. YOUDE MAKE THE FOLLOWING POINTS TO THE
AMERICANS -
(1) HONG KONG IS EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR THE TREMENDOUS RESETTLEMENT
EFFORT WHICH HAS SEEN SOME 53,000 REFUGEES. DEPART FROM HONG KONG
TO THE USA.
(2) HOWEVER, UNLIKE THE RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES, HONG KONG DOES NOT HAVE THE OPTION OF SIMPLY DECLINING ACCEPTANCE OF NEW ARRIVALS.
(3) WE NOTE THE EMPHASIS THE AMERICANS ARE PLACING ON HUMANE DETERRENCE (REFLECTED IN THEIR APPARENT APPROVAL OF THAI POLICY), BUT WE WOULD HAVE CONSIDERABLE DIFFICULTIES, PRACTICAL AND POLITICAL, IN FOLLOWING SUIT.
(4) WE HOPE THE AMERICANS WILL MAKE AN EARLY ANNOUNCEMENT OF THEIR NEW RESTRICTIVE MEASURES. (THE AUSTRALIANS HAVE MADE A
THE
FULL MINISTERIAL STATEMENT ABOUT THEIR OWN VERY SIMILAR MOVES). WE UNDERSTAND THE WISH TO GIVE ASEAN GOVERNMENTS ADEQUATE WARNING: BUT AS DETAILS OF THE NEW AMERICAN MEASURES SEEP OUT,
LACK OF A FORMAL ANNOUNCEMENT MAY LEAD TO DOUBTS ABOUT THE FIRMNESS OF PURPOSE BEHIND THEM.
(5) WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR THE EARLIEST NOTICE THE AMERICANS CAN
GIVE US OF ANY PALNS TO TIGHTEN UP FURTHER.
MACLEHOSE
MINIMAL HK&GD
PLANS
CONFIDENTIAL