FOR JEAFFRESON, SECRETARY FOR SECURITY
FROM WOODHOUSE IN NEW YORK
21 OCT 85
NY/GEN/181
COPIED TO : HKS OFFICES IN WASHINGTON, BRUSSELS,
GENEVA (PL COPY TO ADAMS AT UKMIS)
LONDON (PL COPY TO LEEKS AT FCO)
DISCUSSION WITH MARTIN BARBER OF BRC
I HAD LUNCH WITH MARTIN BARBER ON 18 OCTOBER. WE DISCUSSED HOW WE COULD CO-OPERATE ON THE RESETTLEMENT OF THE 550 FAMILY REUNION CASES IN V.K. I SAID THAT I HAD SPOKEN BRIEFLY TO MCDOWELL OF THE HOME OFFICE WHO HAD SUGGESTED THAT HONG KONG DRAW UP THE PRIORITY LIST.
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BARBER SAID THAT THIS WAS O.K BY HIM, BUT THERE WERE PROBLEMS IN HK CONCERNING RECEPTION FACILITIES. OBVIOUSLY THE VOLAGS WANTED TO USE THEM TO THE GREATEST EXTENT. I SAID THAT THIS WAS SENSIBLE
AND ARGUED FOR US DISCUSSING THE LIST AND PREPARING GROUPS OF ABOUT 40 EACH MONTH. HE AGREED. I SUGGESTED THAT WE KEEP IN TOUCH
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THROUGH BEN TANG IN LONDON. HE ALSO SAID THAT THE ACTUAL NUMBER (490 +60) WAS STILL IN DOUBT AS THE HO DID NOT KNOW THE PRECISE NUMBER AND EVERYONE DOUBTED THE UNHCR STATISTICS.
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3. I WAS. IMPRESSED WITH BARBER'S KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROBLEM, ALTHOUGH HE STILL HELD ON TO OLD CONCERNS EACH AS MAIL DELAYS AND THE BAD EFFECT OF CLOSED CENTRES. I THINK THAT WE SHOULD ATTEMPT TO KEEP IN CLOSE TOUCH WITH BARBER, THROUGH BEN TANG.
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FOR JEAFFRESON, SECRETARY FOR SECURITY
FROM WOODHOUSE IN NEW YORK
21 OCT 95
NY/GEN/182
COPIED TO: HKG OFFICES IN WASHINGTON, BRUSSELS,
GENEVA (PL COPY TO ADAMS AT UKMIS) LONDON (PL COPY TO LEEK. AT FCO)
DISCUSSIONS WITH HOME OFFICE OFFICIALS
I MET ROY MCDOWELL, STEVE HANDLEY AND STEVE WELLS FROM THE HOME OFFICE ON 18 OCTOBER, TO DISCUSS THE DETAILS OF THE FAMILY REUNION CASES.
2.
THEY AGREED THAT THE PRIORITY LIST FOR RESETTLEMENT SHOULD BE WORKED OUT BETWEEN BRC AND HONG KONG AND THEN PASSED TO THE HOME OFFICE (HO), THEY SUGGESTED THAT FIRST (FIRST), THE REFUGEES ALREADY IN THE UK SHOULD BE ASKED WHETHER THEY WOULD SPONSOR THE REFUGEE IN HONG KONG FOR RESETTLEMENT IN UK. SECOND (SECOND), THE REFUGEE IN HONG KONG SHOULD BE ASKED WHETHER HE/SHE WANTED TO BE RESETTLED IN UK. THE QUESTIONING WOULD BE DONE BY THE BRC IN UK AND THE UNHCR IN HONG KONG