||
GRS
180
RESTRICTED
FM MADRID
TO ROUTINE FCO
TELNO 785
OF 220814Z NOV 35
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG
14+4
RESTRICTED
TOP CORY
INFO SAVING UKMIS GENEVA AND UKREP BRUSSELS
(298)
MY TELNO 702: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG
1. SINCE I RAISED THIS WITH THE POLITICAL DIRECTOR IN THE FOREIGN
MINISTRY ON 17 OCTOBER (MY TUR) THE SPANIARDS HAVE BEEN CONSIDERING
WHETHER THEY COULD ACCEPT SOME MORE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.
2.
THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL FOR EUROPE, EQUERRA, GAVE ME THE ANSWER
THIS MORNING. HE SAID HE VERY MUCH REGRETTED THE THE SPANIARDS
WOULD NOT/NOT BE ABLE TO TAKE ANY OF THE REFUGEESS IN HONG KONG. IN 1980 OR SO THEY ACCEPTED A NUMBER OF LAOTIAN, CAMBODIAN AND VIETNAMESE FAMILIES: BUT THESE REFUGEES HAD NOT/NOT FITTED INTO
SPANISH SICIETY AT ALL WELL. THE DIFFERENT CULTURAL AND LINGUISTIC
BACKGROUND HAD PROVED A PROBLEM, AS HAD THE INEXPERIENCE OF THE SPANIARDS RESPONSIBLE FOR SETTLING THEM. EZQUERRA DESCRIBED THE
EXPERIENCE AS VERY NEGATIVE.
3.
IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES, I DO NOT THINK THAT IT WOULD BE WORTH
PRESSING THE SPANIARDS FURTHER. AS EZQUERRA POINTED OUT, LATIN
AMERICA AND MIDDLE EASTERN EXILES/REFUGEES MAKE THEIR HOMES HERE IN
LARGE NUMBERS AND GET ON QUITE WELL BUT EXPERIENCE SHOWED THAT
SOUTH-EAST ASIANS DID NOT.
4. FCO PLEASE PASS SAVING.
GORDON LENNOX
LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
UND
WED
SED
ECD (1)
ECD (E)
PS/LADY YOUNG.
PS/MR RENTON
PS/PUS
SIR W HARD ING MR WILSON
(REPEATED AS REQUESTED).
RESTRICTED
COPIES TO:
MR RAWSTHORNE HOME OFFICE
LUNAR HOUSE
HKGO LONDON
MICKC 243/2
RECEIVED IN REL
• RY
2 6 NOV 1985
DESK OFFIC K
INDEX
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