CONFIDENTIAL
(131)
TT HONG KONG
GRS 202
CONFIDENTIAL
TELELETTER
FROM R D CLIFT, HONG KONG DEPARTMENT
18150 1
HKK243/1
•
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
1C SEP 1983
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
PA
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REGIST
Agter. Tarta
عبده
FILE REFERENCE HKK243/1 DATED 15 SEPTEMBER 1983
FOLLOWING FOR D G JEAFFRESON, SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, HONG KONG
YOUR TELELETTER SCR 56/4821/79 VII OF 2 SEPTEMBER: VIETNAMESE
REFUGEES
1. I HAD NOT FORGOTTEN OUR CONVERSATION OF 8 JULY, BUT THOUGHT
IT BETTER TO AWAIT THE OUTCOME OF THE HONOLULU CONFERENCE AND
OTHER DEVELOPMENTS BEFORE WRITING TO YOU. MY VIEWS ON THE TWO
IDEAS YOU RAISE ARE AS FOLLOWS.
2. ON (A), MY RECOLLECTION IS THAT YOU SAID THE HOME OFFICE
WERE ONLY PREPARED TO CONSIDER A FURTHER QUOTA AS PART OF A
'PACKAGE' INVOLVING REPATRIATION. AS FORCIBLE REPATRIATION HAS
BEEN RULED OUT BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE, WE HAVE NOT PURSUED
THIS. HOWEVER WE SHALL CONSIDER WHETHER TO ASK MINISTERS TO
APPROACH THE HOME OFFICE AGAIN ABOUT A NEW QUOTA AFTER MR LUCE'S
VISIT TO HONG KONG.
3. I PRESUME THAT BY 'SAFE RETURN' IN (B) YOU MEAN VOLUNTARY
REPATRIATION. OBVIOUSLY WE COULD NOT GO FURTHER THAN THAT. THIS
APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED IN SOME DETAIL AT HONOLULU, THOUGH
MORE IN THE CONTEXT OF LAO AND KHMER REFUGEES IN THAILAND THAN
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE. WE SHOULD HAVE NO OBJECTION TO YOUR
ARRANGING A MEETING IF YOU THINK IT WOULD BE USEFUL.
(130).
R D CLIFT
1
CONFIDENTIAL