194
GAS 145
RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG 0604527 DEC 83
RESTRICTED
TO ROUTINE PORT MORESBY
TELEGRAM NUMBER 2 OF 6 DECEMBER 1983
196*
HRK
24312
RECEIVED IN WESTRY - 7 DEC 1983
Ms
REGISTAY
tion Taken
INFO ROUTINE FCO AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
YOUR TELNO 20: POSSIBLE RESETTLEMENT OF VRS IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA
1. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR VERY FULL ANALYSIS OF THE LIMITED PROSPECTS FOR SUCCESS IN THIS AREA. WE SHARE YOUR DOUBTS,
BUT
THE PRESENT BLEAK RESETTLEMENT PICTURE FOR VRS FROM HERE
COMPELS US TO EXPLORE ALL POSSIBLE AVENUES FOR RESETTLEMENT.
2. OUR ONLY EXPERIENCE OF SETTLING VRS IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC HAS BEEN IN NEW CALEDONIA (WHICH HAS TAKEN 74 FROM US SINCE 1979) AND VANUATU (WHICH HAS TAKEN 12). WE DEDUCE FROM THE FACT THAT BOTH HAVE CONTINUED TO TAKE A FEW MORE YEAR BY YEAR
THAT RESETTLEMENT HAS NOT PROVED A FAILURE, AND WE HAVE HAD
COMMENTS THAT RESETTLEMENT IN VANUATU AT LEAST HAS BEEN SUP-
PRISINGLY SUCCESSFUL.
3. ON THE BASIS OF YOUR TUR, WE HAVE TAKEN UNOFFICIAL SOUNDINGS
OF THE LOCAL UNHCR OFFICE. ITS REACTION WAS PREDICTABLY CAUTIOUS: AS REGARDS UNHCR FUNDS, THESE WOULD BE AVAILABLE IF AND WHEN A VIABLE RESETTLEMENT SCHEME WERE PRESENTED TO IT.
4. AS REGARDS SELECTION, WHILE MOST VRS WOULD PREFER TO WORK
IN THE TOWNS, WE DO NOT RULE OUT FINDING SOME WHO WOULD BE
WILLING TO FARM AN UNDER-DEVELOPED AREA OF PNG.
5. ON THIS ADMITTEDLY VERY TENOUOUS BASIS, WE SHOULD 3E
GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD SOUND OUT THE MFA AS OFFERED IN YOUR TUR. YOUDE
BOAT PEOPLE
LIMITRO
SEAD
SPA
UINED
FED
PUSD
NEWS D MAEND
PS
PS/LADY YOUNG PS/MR LUCE PS/FUS
WRIGHT
ME GIFFARD
MR DONALD
MR ADAMS
MR URE
ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION
BOAT PEOPLE
Repetition to PORT MORESBY
referred for departmental decision,
repeated as requested to other posts.
RESTRICTED
see (198)