CONFIDENTIAL
Mr Clift HKGD
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG
1.
HKK 243/5 RECEIVED IN NEUSOPY NO. 51 2 8 FEB 1983
DISK OFICER
INDEX
NO 1-
PA
لا
1/3
STRY
Action Taken
alls
Thank you for copying to me your minute of 23 February
to Mr Burns in SEAD.
2. I sympathise with Hong Kong's dilemma but the difficulty as far as we are concerned is that the UNHCR regard all 'boat people' as refugees, on the grounds that
a)
b)
3.
they would certainly be vulnerable to persecution if they were returned,
and
the pressures on people to leave Vietnam by such a dangerous method in themselves amount in the UNHCR view to persecution.
We have had indications that UNHCR are unhappy about the US attitude to so-called 'economic migrants'. With our encourage- ment, they might be prepared to take the matter up more forcibly with the US, especially as there seems to be no international consensus on the 'economic migrant' label. However, the large US contributions to UNHCR finances must be an inhibiting factor in any such action.
лейкой
NCR Williams
United Nations Department
25 February 1983
cc: Mr Burns, SEAD
257 2 A
5128/2
уван
M. McQuade more...
D25h
THA
CONFIDENTIAL
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