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Vietnamese economy and the recent show trials could generate more boat people departures. He also observed that the Thais had an enormous refugee burden and were unlikely to accept many more. Ambassador Douglas stressed the need for concerted pressure on UNHCR to maintain and expand its Laotian repatriation programme, it being the only such programme in the region. If necessary more funds should be made available to encourage the Laotians. In his view, US criticisms of Thai refugee policy were short- sighted. It was in everyone's interest that the recent Cambodian emigrants should not be classified as refugees, or made eligible for resettlement like those in Khao-i-dang. It was very important to improve educational programmes in the camps, in order to facilitate the return to Cambodia of the border population. In the United States there were Cambodians who would volunteer to work as teachers in the border camps. Ambassador Douglas also mentioned the special plight of the Hmong, tens of thousands of whom were still in Thai camps. He wondered whether there was a possibility that some might be repatriated to China where they had close family links.
8 Mr Luce doubted whether the UNHCR programme for repatriation could be extended to Vietnam. Ambassador Douglas felt that such a programme was still some years away, but that nevertheless UNHCR should be pressed to work towards this goal. He had recently pressed the UN High Commissioner to send his deputy to South East Asia to emphasize UNHCR interest in the Laotian programme, UNBRO, and the ODP.
9 Mr Luce concluded that the refugee problem in Hong Kong, and developments on the Thai/Cambodian border, were both of great importance to HMG, and that we would indeed wish to stay in close touch with the US on future developments in the region. Ambassador Douglas said that he had one suggestion to offer HMG, which might help in a future UK resettlement programme: in the Refugee Processing Centre in Bataan (Philippines) were excellent medical, training, and orientation facilities, funded mainly by the US and Japan. If refugees selected from Hong Kong for the UK were to spend a short period in Bataan they would arrive far better prepared for life in the UK and thus present fewer problems for HMG. He strongly recommended that HMG consider this idea. Mr Luce thanked Ambassador Douglas for this interesting suggestion, which HMG would examine, and for sharing with HMG his thoughts on current refugee problems.
5 March 1985
Distribution:
PS/Mr Luce
HKD
SEAD
UND
FED
NAD
EAD
SAfD
CODE 18-77
Mrs Birch, ODA
Chancery, Washington
Chancery, Kampala Chancery, Cape Town
Chancery, Bangkok
Chancery, Hanoi
Chancery, Manila
Miss J Attwood, UKMIS New York
B Adams Esq, UKMIS Geneva
K D Woodhouse Esq, Gov Secretariat, Hong Kong
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