C
CONFIDENTIAL
11012
1
(V)
(VI)
5.
SCALE OF GENERAL PROBLEM HAS DECREASED SO TOO HAVE
EFFORTS OF RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES. ALTHOUGH HONG KONG
HAS THE GREATEST NUMBER OF VIETNAMESE IN THE SOUTH EAST
ASIAN REGION, RESETTLEMENT FROM THE TERRITORY IN 1984 WAS
CONSIDERABLY LESS THAN FROM OTHER COUNTRIES (3694
COMOARED WITH 10460 (MALAYSIA). 6901 (INDONESIA) AND 6659
(THAILAND). INEVITABLE RESULT IS A FAR LONGER STAY IN
HONG KONG'S TEMNORARY TRANSIT CENTRES. THIS MUST BE
UNDESIRABLE IN TERMS OF POTENTIAL LONG TERM EFFECT ON
REFUGEES: INCREASED RISKS OF ULTIMATE DISORDER IN THE
CAMPS ALSO MATTER OF SERIOUS CONCERN FOR HMG.
WE HOPE THAT YOUR GOVERNMENT WILL RESPOND TO INITIATIVE
BY TAKING FROM HONG KONQ WHATEVER. ADDITIONAL NUMBERS YOU
CAN MANAGE. ALSO APPROACHING OTHER RESETTLEMENT AND
POTENTIAL RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES. HAVE ASKED UNHCR TO
ASSIST BY MAKING PARALLEL AOOROACHES. UK CANNOT SOLVE
PROBLEM ON ITS OWN. BUT DEPENDING ON THE RESPONSE BY
OTHER COUNTRIES. WE WOULD OURSELVES CONSIDER ACCEPTING
FURTHER LIMITED NUMBERS FROM HONG KONG IN ADDITION TO THE
FAMILY REUNION CASES. HONG KONG WOULD SIMILARLY BE
PREPARED TO CONSIDER ACCEPTING FOR RESETTLEMENT IN HONG
KONG A LIMITED NUMBER OF ETHNIC CHINESE IF THIS FORMED
PART OF A PACKAGE AIMED AT REDUCING DRASTICALLY THE SIZE
OF HONG KONG'S VIETNAMESE REFUGEE POPULATION AND
RESETTLING ALL THOSE WHOSE STAY IN HONG KONG HAS BEEN
PROLONGED.
WE FEEL THAT A POSITIVE RESPONSE BY YOUR GOVERNMENT, AS
ONE OF THE MAIN RECIPIENTS OF REFUGEES FROM HONG KONO.
WOULD GREATLY ENHANCE OUR CHANCES OF PERSUADING OTHER
COUNTRIES TO RESPOND TO OUR CAMPAIGN. IF, ON THE OTHER
HAND. YOUR RESPONSE IS NEGATIVE. OTHER COUNTRIES MAY IN
TURN BE MORE RELUCTANT TO ASSIST.
(FOR OTTAWA): THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAS BEEN BRIEFED
THAT YOU WILL BE MAKINO THIS APORNACH TO THE CANADIAN
AUTHORITIES. WE HOPE HE WILL HIMSELF RAISE THE SUBJECT BRIEFLV
WITH MR CLARK. PLEASE BRIEF SECRETARY OF STATE'S PARTY ON
3
CONFIDENTIAL