Mr Galsworthy

Galsworthy,

HKD

CONFIDENTIAL

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: DRAFT SUBMISSION

Reference......

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Ник

24315

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

- 3 APR 1985

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

REGISTRY

PA

Action Turan

са

Hw?

f

need to make clear

hot in itk.

n

1. I attach a redraft of the submission, incorporating UND comments which are minor and marked in square brackets (paras 2, 12, 14, and 15).

2. SEAD have a substantial list of comments. Mr Nash's are textual, and as follows:

Para 2(b) suggest remove word "involuntary", ie that we exploring both voluntary and involuntary with the Vietnamese, although the former should more strictly be under (a).

recommend

Para 5 last sentence replace all down to and including "will" with "We need to ensure too that attempts to achieve the former do not

11

Para 6 replace 19,000 with UK figure for Hong Kong - 12,500 since 1979.

Para 7 3rd sentence add at end "under consideration".

-

Para 9 add at end "This should be coupled with a study of what training might most appropriately be given to Vietnamese destined for this country in an effort to avoid some of the problems we face with those already here. There should be consultations on this and related resettlement matters with the British Refugee Council.

-

is

Para 10 first sentence replace all after "Vietnam" with presently feasible and the prospects for regional integration are poor though the latter warrants further enquiry. Refugees who have risked their lives to flee are unlikely to opt to return; and other regional countries such as Thailand with heavy refugee burdens have ruled out absorbing more, local absorption" etc.

-

Additional

Para 11 delete last sentence and replace with "Only if those screened could be housed temporarily in a special holding centre, as

as the Americans have recently suggested, would screening seem advantageous.

זו

Para 14 (1) add last sentence: "The Vietnamese might well choose to embarrass us by publicising the approach".

Para 14 (2) replace all after "is likely to" with "damage our relations with the UNHCR (Mr Hartling on 12 March made clear to

CODE 18-77

CONFIDENTIAL

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