i
GRS 250
RESTRICTED
FM BRUSSELS
TO ROUTINE FCO
TELNO 48
OF 21160OZ FEBRUARY 86
RESTRICTED TOP COPY
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG, UKMIS GENEVA, THE HAGUE
INFO SAVING HKGO BRUSSELS, HELSINKI, VIENNA, PARIS, DUBLIN, BERNE
INFO SAVING OSLO, COPENHAGEN, LUXEMBOURG, STOCKHOLM
YOUR TELNO 75 TO BONN: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG
1.
ACTION TAKEN BY TELEPHONE WITH SCHOKKAERT, HEAD OF THE MFA DEPARTMENT RESPONSIBLE FOR REFUGEES, ON RECEIPT OF TUR. WE FOLLOWED UP ON 20 FEBRUARY, LEAVING A SPEAKING NOTE BASED ON TUR, AND HAVE
ALSO BROUGHT BEYENS, HEAD OF THE MFA'S ASIA DEPARTMENT, UP TO DATE.
2.
B
SCHOKKAERT SAID THAT ON RECEIPT OF HONG KONG'S LIST OF BELGIAN
FAMILY REUNION CASES, FOREIGN MINISTER TINDEMANS HAD WRITTEN TO JUSTICE MINISTER GOL WITH WHOM THE DECISION LIES - SUPPORTING A
FAVOURABLE DECISION. A BELGIAN REPRESENTATIVE IN HONG KONG WAS CHECKING ON THE INDIVIDUALS LISTED. THE MFA WOULD NOW FOLLOW UP WITH A FURTHER LETTER DRAWING ON THE INFORMATION IN TUR, AND ANY OTHER AMMUNITION WE COULD SUPPLY, EG. ANY RECENT NEW INTAKE BY PARTNERS. FOLLOWING TELECON BAKER/BARTON, HKD, WE TOLD SCHOKKAERT INFORMALLY THAT SEVERAL OTHER COUNTRIES WERE AT A SIMILAR STAGE IN THEIR DELIBERATIONS AS THE BELGIANS, BUT WE UNDERSTOOD THAT THE DUTCH MIGHT BE MOVING TOWARDS ACCEPTANCE OF ABOUT 50 REFUGEES. HE ASKED TO
BE KEPT IN TOUCH WITH DEVELOPMENTS.
3.
SCHOKKAERT COULD NOT PREJUDGE THE JUSTICE MINISTER'S DECISION, BUT HE SPOKE OF BELGIUM'S QUOTE POLICY AND PRACTICE UNQUOTE OF ADMITTING GENUINE FAMILY REUNION CASES, AND SUGGESTED THAT THERE WAS A GOOD CHANCE THAT SOME IF NOT ALL OF THE CURRENT 51 WOULD BE
ACCEPTED.
PETRIE
[REPEATED AS REQUESTED)
YYYY
FCO PLEASE PASS INFO SAVING HELSINKI, VIENNA, PARIS, DUBLIN, BERNE OSLO, COPENHAGEN, LUXEMBOURG, STOCKHOLM
LIMITED
HKD
FED
SEAD
UND
PS/ MR RENTON PS/PUS
SIR W. HARDING
DR WILSON
COPIES Toi
HKGO, LONDON
MKK 243/1 RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
RESTRICTED
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
2 5 FEB 1986
REGISTRY
на
Action Taken
109