TT TO HONG KONG
GRS404
CONFIDENTIAL
TELELETTER
FROM CO HUM HKD
CONFIDENTIAL
HKK 243/1
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
7 OCT 1983
(148
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DATED 04 OCTOBER 1983
FOLLOWING FOR D G JEAFFRESON ESQ CBE
SECRETARY FOR SECURITY
HONG KONG
YOUR TELELETTER SCR 56/4821.79 VII OF 21 SEPTEMBER TO CLIFT
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
(143)
1. YOUR PARA 2: WE ARE CONSULTING THE HOME OFFICE TO CLARIFY
THEIR POSITION ON THE QUESTION OF A FURTHER UK QUOTA. AS REGARDS
FAMILY REUNION CASES, THERE HAS BEEN NO CHANGE IN UK POLICY,
ALTHOUGH AS YOU KNOW THE CRITERIA FOR ACCEPTANCE ARE STRICT.
2. YOUR PARA 3: I AM SORRY IF OUR TELNO 174 TO UKMIS GENEVA WAS
MISLEADING. WE REALISE THAT MANY OF THE BOAT PEOPLE NOW LEAVING
VIETNAM MAY NOT FIT INTO THE TRADITIONAL CRITERIA LAID DOWN
BY RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES. HOWEVER THIS DOES NOT AFFECT OUR VIEW
THAT, ONCE OUTSIDE VIETNAM, THEY SHOULD BE CLASSIFIED AS
REFUGEES UNLESS WE ARE ABLE TO OBTAIN CLEAR-CUT GUARANTEES THAT
THEY WOULD NOT BE SUBJECT TO PERSECUTION IF THEY WERE TO RETURN
TO VIETNAM (SEE PARAS 4 AND 5(E) OF TELNO 174). THE OBJECT OF THE
APPROACH TO UNHCR WAS TO SEE IF THEY THOUGHT IT WORTHWHILE TO
APPROACH THE VIETNAMESE TO SEEK SUCH GUARANTEES, AND IF NOT, TO
TRY TO PERSUADE THEM TO COME OUT AGAINST THE DISTINCTION BEING
DRAWN BY RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES BETWEEN REFUGEES AND ECONOMIC
MIGRANTS.
3. YOUR PARA 4: AS HARTLING HIMSELF HAS SHOWN LITTLE ENTHUSIASM
FOR APPROACHING THE VIETNAMESE AT THIS JUNCTURE TO OBTAIN
ASSURANCES REGARDING THE TREATMENT OF RETURNING REFUGEES (UKMIS
GENEVA TELNO 308) AND GIVEN THE UNHCR'S WELL ESTABLISHED POLICY
OF ENCOURAGING ONLY VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION, WE ARE SURPRISED
THAT SIMINGTON HAS PROPOSED SOUNDING OUT THE VIETNAMESE ON THEIR
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