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Reference
243/1
(136
A
B
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Mr Segar SEAD W 87
ви
4 weeks Noted
CSE AF22/2 22/2
SHIP RESCUES: MV POYANG, MV HUPEH
1.
101
D
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Hkk 243/1
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INDEX
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20/8 Af 20/8
I think you have seen Mr Davies' letter of 28 May to Mr Clift about the MV Poyang and MV Hupeh. I have now had a look at our past papers on these cases.
2.
It appears from these that when Hupeh originally arrived in the Philippines Hong Kong gave a guarantee 'to allow any refugees who had not been resettled from the Philippines within a reasonable period to be transferred to a UNHCR camp [in Hong Kong] to continue to pursue their resettlement opportunities' (correspondence ending with Manila telegram number 217 of 10 July 1980).
3.
In the case of the Poyang, 42 refugees were landed in Hong Kong, 30 of whom were submitted by UNHCR to Hong Kong's Immigration Department with a view to obtaining a guarantee of resettlement in the UK (Hong Kong telegram number 736 of 14 August 1981). We have no record of an answer to this request.
4. Although I do not think we are strictly obliged to take the remaining refugees from the Hupeh I do feel strongly that we should not be difficult over what is after all a very small number of refugees. I fully agree with Mr Davies' arguments against resettlement of these 42 refugees in Hong Kong. Hong Kong's position is difficult enough as it is without creating further problems by breaching their policy of not acting as a place of resettlement. It would also, if it became widely known, undermine Hong Kong's efforts to deter a further outflow from Vietnam. In addition, with no prospect at present of a further UK quota, it is only by being helpful in this sort of case that we can demonstrate our continued commitment to easing the burden which the outflow of refugees from Vietnam imposes on Hong Kong.
5. We have shown ourselves willing to be helpful over the refugees rescued by the 'City of Edinburgh', a British registered vessel (FCO telegram number 481 of 25 June to Hong Kong). I should be grateful if you would approach the Home Office to ask them to allow the remaining refugees from the Hupeh and Poyang, both ships on the UK register, to be treated in the same way as those from the 'City of Edinburgh'.
CODE 18-77
2 July 1982
P J Williamson
Hong Kong and General Department K 242
233 4439
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