GR 300
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 15074OZ MAY 85
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 926 OF 15 MAY
paz4315.
De Walle
(65)
Pse Liaise with SHAD other latichiscuss
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, HKGO BRUSSELS (JONES), HKGO NEW YORK (DORWARD), HKGO WASHINGTON (LO), HKGO GENEVA (FOR THE ATTENTION OF CARTLAND), BANGKOK, HANOI
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
1. WE HAVE BEEN VISITED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF THE U.S. IMMIGRATION
AND NATURALISATION SERVICE, AL NELSON, HIS DISTRICT DIRECTOR FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC, JOHN SCHROEDER, AND HIS DISTRICT DIRECTOR FOR SAN FRANCISCO/CENTRAL AND NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, DAVE ILCHERT, ON 10, 11 AND 12 MAY. THEY WERE COMPLETING A TOUR OF CHINA AND HAD REQUESTED A SERIES OF MEETINGS HERE WITH THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (THE COMMISSIONER REPORTS DIRECTLY TO THE U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL), THE ICAC, THE POLICE AND SECURITY BRANCH. THEY ASKED TO SEE AN OPEN AND CLOSED CENTRE.
2. THEY WERE IMPRESSED BY THE CLOSED CENTRE (CHI MA WAN) WHICH THEY DESCRIBED AS WELL RUN, CLEAN AND HUMANE. THEY APPRECIATED THE REASONS FOR OUR CLOSED CENTRE POLICY.
3. THEY EXPLAINED THAT, W.E.F. 1 JUNE, THE THAIS WOULD BEGIN TO REPATRIATE LAOTIANS. THIS WOULD FOLLOW A SCREENING PROCESS, BASED ON PROCEDURES ADOPTED BY THE U.S. FOR SCREENING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM MEXICO. THE SCREEN PROCESS WILL BE OBSERVED BY THE UNHCR. THEY POINTED OUT THAT THE UNHCR CONSIDERS IMMIGRATION PROCEDURES TO BE A MATTER FOR GOVERNMENT AND IT IS CONCERNED ONLY THAT GENUINE REFUGEES ARE OFFERED ASYLUM. WE WERE ALSO TOLD THAT THE SCREENING PROCESS INCORPORATES AN APPEAL PROCEDURE.
4. THEY SAID THAT LAOS HAD AGREED TO TAKE BACK THOSE RETURNED AND THAT THE INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS WOULD BE IN CHARGE OF THEIR RETURN, PROBABLY BY BOAT.
5. GRATEFUL FOR ANY FURTHER INFORMATION YOU OR HMA BANGKOK OR HANOI MIGHT HAVE ON WHAT APPEARS TO BE A USEFUL PROCEDURE FOR OUR OWN REPATRIATION PROPOSALS.
YOUDE
BOAT PEOPLE
میس
CA
LIMITED
SEAD
HKD
PS/LADY YOUNG PS/MR LUCE
UND
FED
PS/PUS
MR GOODALL
NEWS D
MR O'NEILL
MAED
PS
MR WILSON
ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION
BOAT PEOPLE
BIR W HARDING
CONFIDENTIAL
MICKC 243/5.
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
16 MAY 1985
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