300
CONFIDENTIAL
ELELETTER
FROM: L.M. DAVIES, HONG KONG
DATED 3 NOVEMBER 1982
FOLLOWING FOR: S.J. GOMERSALL, WASHINGTON
HKGD, FCO
W
pL 71.4
ww.sluta RoR pl 2. 4/25
THEY!!
HKK 243|
RECEIVED IN SEXLARY NO. 51
DESK OFFICER
SOUTH EAST ASIA DEPT, FCO
INDEX
PA
NAD, FCO
UND, FCO
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
VISIT OF US ATTORNEY GENERAL.
256
1 1
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TELELETTER OF 14 OCTOBER. WE DISCUSSED REFUGEES
WITH US ATTORNEY GENERAL AND HIS PARTY (WHICH INCLUDED COMMISSIONER
OF INS NELSON, ASSOCIATE DEPUTY AG HILLER, SURECK AND DEPARTMENT
OF STATE DIRECTOR OF VIETNAM LAOS AND KAMPUCHEA AFFAIRS ANDERSON)
ON 26 OCTOBER. WE STRESSED OUR CONCERN AT OUR CONTINUING RESIDUAL'
PROELEM, AND AT OUR CONTINUING INORDINATE SHARE OF REGIONAL
ARRIVALS. WE EXPLAINED THAT TOGETHER THESE FACTORS GAVE US THE
REGION'S HIGHEST BOAT REFUGEE POPULATION. YET EVEN UNDER THE NEW
RESTRICTED CRITERIA, US OFFTAKES FROM MALAYSIA, INDONESIA AND
PHILLIPPINES REMAIN HIGHER THAN FROM HONG KONG, WHILE ALL HAVE
SMALLER BOAT POPULATIONS. WE THEREFORE SOUGHT 'A FAIR SHARE''
OF THE US OFFTAKE FROM THE REGION. IN AN EARLIER AND PRELIMINARY
MEETING WITH OFFICIALS ACCOMPANYING SMITH WE DREW SPECIFIC
ATTENTION TO THE TWO GROUPS OF RESIDUALS TECHNICALLY DEBARRED FROM THE US PROGRAMME ¡¡Y TELNO 26 OF 12 OCTOBER. -NIR.
1