GRS 290
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENATIAL
FM OTTAWA 291641Z JUL 23
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 286 OF 29 JULY
HICK 243/2
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY 16 AUG 1983
DESK OFFICEN
INFO IMMEDIATE TO WASHINGTON, CANBERRA, PARIS, UKMNDEBENEVA RND HONG KONG
(98).
YOUR TELNO 1269 TO WASHINGTON:
لله
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG
1. HEAD OF CHANCERY SPOKE TODAY TO SHEEHAN, AUS IMMIGRATION AFFAIRS BRANCH, DEA, WHO WILL ACCOMPANY MR AXWORTHY, MINISTER OF IMMIGRATION AND 3 OTHER IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS TO THE CONFERENCE.
RECKTRY
Action Taken
2. SHEEHAN IS FAMILIAR WITH OUR CONCERNS REGARDING HONG KONG. HE EXPRESSED SURPRISE AT OUR UNDERSTANDING WHY WE HAD NOT BEEN
INVITED'. HE SAID THE CANADIANS HAD ACCEPTED WITHOUT ANY PRE- CONCEIVED IDEA OF HOW THE CONFERENCE WOULD DEVELOP. THE CANADIANS WERE NOT EXPECTING TO FIND SOLUTIONS AT THIS MEETING ANY IDEAS WOULD NEED MUCH WORK WITH THE ASEAN COUNTRIES THEMSELVES. CANADA REMAINED COMMITTED TO A CERTAIN LEVEL OF RESETTLEMENT ABROAD INCLUDING IN CANADA AND HOPED EVENTUALLY FOR VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION.
3. HE SAID IN CONFIDENCE THAT IF THERE WAS A SUGGESTION AT THE MEETING (AND THE AGENDA MAKES REFERENCE TO A FINAL WRAP-UP AND PROPOSED FOLLOW-UP) OF SUBSEQUENT ACTION THE CANADIANS WOULD WANT THE HONOLULU CONSULTATIVE GROUP TO BE EXPANDED. BRITISH AND HONG KONG PARTICIPATION WOULD THEN BE DESIRABLE. HEAD OF CHANCERY ENCOURAGED THIS.
SHEEHAN SAID THE IDEA OF THE MEETING HAD ORIGINATED DURING A CONVERSATION LAST JANUARY BETWEEN MR AXWORTHY AND AMBASSADOR DOUGLAS AT WHICH HE HAD BEEN PRESENT. THE CANADIANS HAD BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE INCLUSION OF UNHCR. HE HAD JUST LEARNT FROM THE CANADIAN EMBASSY IN WASHINGTON THAT THE FRENCH HAD DECLINED TO PARTICIPATE, MAINLY ON GROUNDS OF RELUCTANCE TO BE THE SOLE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY: THEY THOUGHT UNHCR THE BEST FORUM FOR HANDLING SUCH PROBLEMS.
5.
SHEEHAN PROMISED A FULL ACCOUNT OF THE MEETING IN THE WEEK BEGINNING 8 AUGUST.
MORAN
BOAT PEOPLE
LIMITED
SEAD
HKD
UND
FED
PUSD
NEWS D
MAED PS
ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION
PS/LADY YOUNG PS/MR LUCE PS/PUS
MR WRIGHT
MR GIFFARD
MR DONALD MR ADAMS MR URE
BOAT PEOPLE
CONFIDENTIAL
(102)
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