:
RESTRICTED
per 243/1.
73
DD 01010OZ HONG KONG
GRS 383
RESTRICTED
DESKBY 010100Z
FM FCO 311600Z MAY 83
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 489 OF 31 MAY
HKK 243/1
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
-3 JUN 1983
12047 - 1
My allir
PA
REGISTRY
Action Taken
DESK OFFICER INDEX
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT QUESTION
1.
WE HAVE BEEN ASKED FOR COMMENTS ON A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
QUESTION, PUT BY MRS PRUVOT FOR ORAL REPLY WITHOUT DEBATE.
2.
3.
TEXT OF QUESTION AS FOLLOWS:
'(1) IS THE COUNCIL AWARE OF THE IMPRISONMENT OF THE
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG, A TERRITORY FOR WHICH A
MEMBER STATE HAS SOME RESPONSIBILITY.
(2) WHAT EFFECTIVE ACTION DOES THE COUNCIL CONSIDER
POSSIBLE AT EUROPEAN LEVEL TO ENSURE THAT THESE BOAT PEOPLE,
WHO HAVE ALREADY SUFFERED GREATLY, FIND A PERMANENT PLACE
OF RESIDENCE'.
EC PRESIDENCY HAVE PROPOSED DRAFT REPLY BASED ON FOLLOWING
ELEMENTS:
'(I)
TEN CONSIDER REFUGEE PROBLEM A BASIC HUMANITARIAN
ISSUE.
(II) TEN ARE HELPING TO EASE THE REFUGEE PROBLEM, BY
TAKING IN REFUGEES FROM SOUTH-EAST ASIAN CAMPS ACCORDING
TO THEIR NATIONAL RESETTLEMENT GUIDELINES AND BY
CONTRIBUTING TO THE EFFORTS OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS
(III) INCREASING NUMBERS OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES THREATEN
TO OVERBURDEN NOT ONLY HONG KONG BUT ALSO OTHER STATES
IN THE REGION.
(IV) THEREFORE THE TEN WILL GIVE INCREASING ATTENTION TO:
THIS PROBLEM AND WILL CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARDS A SOLUTION
OF THIS PROBLEM.
(V) THEY WILL CONTINUE THEIR RESETTLEMENT EFFORTS WITH
UNDIMINISHED INTENSITY IN ORDER TO CONTRIBUTE TO DISSOLVE
THE EXISTING REFUGEE CAMPS.
/(vi)
1
RESTRICTED