TT HONG KONG
T/L 22156
GRS 384
CONFIDENTIAL
HKK243/1
RECEIVED IN NES
30 DECIS
see 185
INDEX
(184)
9586 - 1
CONFIDENTIAL
TELELETTER
FROM R D CLIFT, HONG KONG DEPARTMENT
لله
Copy to SEAD (MRegan)
Rey Pl. done
FOLLOWING FOR D G JEAFFRESON, CBE, SECRETARY FOR SECURITY,
HONG KONG
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: HONG KONG
1.
UND/M Peate M.
Then
ра
311. pa
RICHARD HOARE'S TELELETTERS OF 21 AND 23 DECEMBER DEALT WITH A REPORT BY DAME ANNE WARBURTON THAT MOUSSALLI OF THE UNHCR HAD
TOLD HER THAT THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES WERE CONSIDERING A SYSTEM OF SCREENING FOR VIETNAMESE REFUGEES, WITH THE INTENTION
OF RETURNING THOSE NOT QUALIFYING AS REFUGEES TO VIETNAM.
2. THE WAY IN WHICH THIS NEWS HAS REACHED US HAS CAUSED SOME
PUZZLEMENT AND DIFFICULTY HERE. WHEN WE RECEIVED
DAME ANNE WARBURTON'S REPORT, WE ASSUMED THAT THE UNHCR'S
INFORMATION WAS SIMPLY A SPINOFF OF THE MEETING WHICH YOU HELD
IN NOVEMBER WITH SIMINGTON OF UNHCR AND PIKE FROM HANOI.
HOWEVER WE RECEIVED A FURTHER LETTER FROM THE UK MISSION IN
GENEVA WHICH INDICATED THAT A PROPOSAL ON THE ABOVE LINES HAD
BEEN PUT RATHER MORE FORMALLY TO THE UNHCR REPRESENTATIVE IN
HONG KONG, OR HAD BEEN CONSIDERED AS SUCH BY BY THE UNHCR
HEADQUARTERS.
3. AS YOU KNOW, WE CONSIDERED THAT YOUR DISCUSSIONS WITH
SIMINGTON AND PIKE WOULD BE A USEFUL WAY OF COVERING A WIDE FIELD
OF PROBLEMS AND AIRING A NUMBER OF IDEAS. WE WERE GLAD TO SEE
FROM LEEKS'S TELELETTER OF 13 DECEMBER TO MISS WALKER THAT YOU
WERE AIMING TO SEND US FIRM PROPOSALS VERY SOON ARISING FROM
THE DISCUSSIONS. WE SHOULD CERTAINLY HAVE LIKED TO HAVE SEEN
THESE BEFORE ANYTHING IN THE WAY OF DEFINITE PROPOSITIONS WAS PUT
TO THE UNHCR. YOU WILL OF COURSE APPRECIATE FROM OUR PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS HOW SENSITIVE ANYTHING WHICH TOUCHES ON THE QUESTION
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1
CONFIDENTIAL
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