-10-24
22:04
RECEN
MKK 243/2
TRY
2 8 OCT 1985
#
28404
HKGOVT
DESK OFFICER
FOR JEAFFRESON, SECRETARY FOR SECURITY PA FROM WOODHOUSE IN NEW YORK
24 OCT 85
NY/GEN/191
REGISTAY
Action Taken
COPIED TO: HKG OFFICES IN WASHINGTON, BRUSSELS,
GENEVA (PL COPY TO WALKER AT UKMIS) LONDON (PL COPY TO LEEKS AT FCO)
DISCUSSIONS IN OTTOWA
353
De Walle
ecour Nash SEAD
Сс
I HAD A WORKING MEETING ON 23 OCTOBER WITH BRYAN SPRINGGAY, ANTON YURKOVITCH, JACQUES PAGUETTE, EAST ASIA RELATIONS DIVISION (CHINA AND HONG KONG) AND SCOTT HEATHERINGTON, WHO-DEALS WITH REFUGEE AFFAIS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT AND IMMIGRATION BUT IS ON SECONDMENT FROM THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
2. I EMPHASISED OUR WISH TO FIND A DURABLE SOLUTION, BUT OUR NEED TO SEEK RESETTLEMENT UNTIL SUCH A SOLUTION BECAME AVAILABLE. I WAS PRESSED ON WHY HMG DID NOT ATTEMPT A DIALOGUE WITH THE VIETNAMESE. THEY SAID THAT AN ATTEMPT WOULD HELP SIGNIFICANTLY.
3.
THEY WERE CONFUSED ABOUT THE ACTUAL NUMBERS BEING TAKEN BY UK AND ABOUT REASON FOR THE 40 PER MONTH OFFTAKE. THEY SEEMED TO BE SATISFIED WITH THE ANSWERS. THEY SAID THAT THE DECISION BY HMG TO SEEK A RESPONSE TO WHAT WAS SEEN AS THE LEAST THAT UK COULD DO HAD NOT GONE DOWN WELL IN CANADA. THEY SAID THAT WADDINGTON HAD BEEN TOLD THIS QUITE BLUNTLY WHEN HE VISITED OTTOWA AND RAISED THE PROBLEM OF HONG KONG'S REFUGEES. HE HAD BEEN TOLD THAT IT WAS HMG'S PROBLEM AND IT SHOULD BE MORE WILLING TO DEMONSTRATE ITS CONCERN BEFORE ASKING OTHERS, WHO HAD BEEN HELPING FOR SOME TIME, TO DO MORE. A SPECIFIC, LONG TERM, UK COMMITTMENT WAS REQUIRED.
4.
P
WE DISCUSSED THE EFFORTS WE HAVE BEEN MAKING IN HONG KONG TO ENCOURAGE SKILL TRAINING. THEY THOUGHT THAT LANGUAGE WAS VERY IMPORTANT THEY POINTED OUT THAT CANADA HAD HAD PROBLEMS WITH UNSKILLED, UNEDUCATED REFUGEES. PROBLEMS HAD BEEN FOUND WITH, SAY, DOCTORS, WHOSE EXPECTATIONS WERE TOO HIGH. THEY EXPLAINED THAT WOMEN SETTLED DOWN MUCH EASIER THAN MEN AND ENGLISH SPEAKERS SETTLE DOWN QUICKEST. THEY SUGGESTED THAT WE CONCENTRATE OUR EFFORTS ON THE LONG STAYERS TO HELP MAKE THEM MORE RE- SETTLEABLE.
I EXPLAINED THAT WE HAD HAD AN ENCOURAGING RESPONSE FROM THE EUROPEAN COUNTRIES AND AUSTRATIA. I EMPHASISED THE DANGER OF THE PULL FACTOR AND, THEREFORE, THE NEED TO AVOID SUDDEN DRAMATIC GESTURES. WE HOPED SLOWLY TO INCREASE THE OFFTAKE FROM HONG KONG WITHOUT STIMULATING ARRIVALS.
6.
J WAS ASKED WHETHER WE HAD A FIGURE OF THE QUOTE HARD CORE UNQUOTE OF UNRESETTLEABLE REFUGEES. I SAID THAT WE REALISED THAT HONG KONG WOULD BE LEFT WITH SOME REFUGEES BECAUSE THAT WAS THE HISTORY OF REFUGEES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. HOWEVER WE HAD NEVER CALCULATED A NUMBER. I DOUBTED WHETHER IT WAS POSSIBLE TO
CALCULATE.