BRIEF NOTE OF MEETINGS WITH HKG OFFICIALS
20-24 JANUARY 1986
HONG KONG:
52
CONFIDENTIAL
Meeting with David
Branch:
Jeaffres on and Ken
Woodhouse, Security
first, refugees:
(i)
KK 243/1
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
29 JAN'1986
Lees
on
now
diplomatic offensive: We agreed on a general assessment
that the main effort should continue to concentrate
the "big 3" resettlement countries plus Japan. For the
est (mainly Europe) we should continue to press family
eunion cases wherever possible. HKG were particularly
e en that,
where UNHCR had been given (or sought) a Action Taken role with individual countries, UKMIS Geneva should
them (UNHCR) keep
to up
the mark
specifically they
should prod UNHCR now оп Norway, Sweden, Finland,
Denmark, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Netherlands.
(Comment: we need а Tel to UKMIS Geneva which I should
be grateful if Mr Barton would now draft.)
REGISTRY
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
PA
✓
а
Ke
(ii)
?
Big3
+Japan (+___?)
be
unsympathetic.
I
present mo od EXCO
made the obvious points
Absorption by Hong Kong: This and the RASRO transit centre proposal would go to EXCO on 4 February. There
was a very real risk that in its
would
about our need to have some further response from Hong Kong to provide leverage both with other countries and
with the Home Office. We discussed steps that might be
taken to maximise impact of a favourable decision by
EXCO. HKG would like Us to approach again the main
countries (Comment: we shall then need a line оп
further UK off take) while HKG tackle their Consuls
General. They were particularly keen that we should
press the Australians in Canberra (since a local
difficulty over personalities has made it more
difficult for Hong Kong to press the Australians for
the moment) and that the US should be pressed hard for
a response to a favourable decision on RASRO (on which
EXCO will be asked to agree in principle only that HKG
should negotiate a suitable deal with UNHCR
this
should satisfy the Americans.) We also discussed the
New Zealand response thus far: Hong Kong considered
that we should first let the "10" go to New Zealand,
and then press for more I concurred.
-
CONFIDENTIAL