CONFIDENTIAL
GRS 500 CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 2771
OF 090755Z DECEMBER 85
AND TO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA
MICK 243/2 RECEIVEL.
10 DEC 205
INDEX
t
tion Takeu
STOREY
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES : PROPOSED
TIFON FOR ADDITIONAL RESETTLEMENT
THE INITIAL REACTION FROM RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES TO HMG'S DECISION
TO RELAX ITS FAMILY REUNION CRITERIA AND ACCEPT ABOUT 500 REFUGEES
FROM HONG KONG HAS BEEN FAVOURABLE. SOME COMMITMENTS AND MANY
PROMISES HAVE BEEN MADE. THE PURPOSE OF THIS AND OUR TWO (FTS IS
TO PROPOSE THE VARIOUS STEPS TO BE TAKEN NEXT.
2. THIS TELEGRAM SETS OUT THE ACTIONWHICH THE HKG, THE FCO AND
UKMIS GENEVA MIGHT TAKE. OUR FÖRST HFT CONTAINS AN ANALYSIS OF THE
REACTION FROM THE RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES TOGETHER WITH OUR VIEWS.
OUR SECOND FT PROPOSES THE ACTION TO BE TAKEN WITH EACH COUNTRY
OR GROUP OF COUNTRIES.
3. WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR VIEWS ON THE VARIOUS PROPOSALS.
ONCE WE HAVE AGREED ON A PLAN OF ACTION, IT MIGHT THEN BE NECESSARY
TO INFORM OTHERS.
4. WE SUGGEST THAT THE FOLLOWING ACTION FOR HKG:
(A) PUSH UNHCR HERE TO PREPARE MORE ACCURATE STATISTICS AND, FIN PARTICULAR, TO UPDATE THE BIO-DATA OF THE REFUGEES HERE THIS IS
ESSENTIAL IF WE ARE TO DIRECT OUR APPEALS ACCURATELY.
M
(B) ENCOURAGE THE UNHCR HERE TO PRESS MORE WHOROUSLY FOR PRIORITY FOR RESETTLEMENT FROM HONG KONG AND TO SEEK A PERMANENT SOLUTION TO OUR REFUGEE PROBLEM. THE NEW CHARGE (KARUM) HAS SHOWN SIGNS OF BEING MUCH MORE DECISIVE AND PRAGMATIC THAN HIS PREDECESSOR.
(C) CONTINUE TO FOCUS ATTENTION ON THE LONG-STAYERS IN OPEN CENTRES BY RETURNING TO OUR APPEAL FOR ASSISTANCE FOR THESE REFUGEES AT THE QUARTERLY RESETTLEMENT MEETING. THE RESPONSE TO DATE HAS
BEEN ENCOURAGING AND WE HAVE SET ACHIEVABLE TARGETS. ONCE THEY ARE REALISED, WE WILL DRAW UP ANOTHER (REALISTIC) APPEAL. BUT THIS
WILL BE SOME TIME OFF.
(D) APPRAOCH SELECTED COMMISSIONS OR CONSUL-GENERALS HERE FOR ASSISTANCE WITH SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF REFUGEE (DISABLED, ELDERLY, UNACCOMPANIED MINORS, FAMILY REUNION CASES) ENLISTING THE SUPPORT OF THE UNHCR TO PURSUE THESE CATEGORIES THROUGH ITS OWN CHANNELS.
(E) CALL ON THE ASSISTANCE OF OUR OVERSEAS OFFICES..
CONFIDENTIAL
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