GRS 500
RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 1676
OF 02072OZ JUNE 86
RESTRICTED
нни 243/3
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
- 9 JUN 1986
DESK OFFICER,
INDEX
PA
REGISTRY
Action Taken
INFO PRIORITY UKMS GENEVA
97
98
TOP COPY
YOUR TELNO 1007: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES : UNHCR MEETING.
AS REGARDS PARA 1 (B) OF YOUR TUR, WE HAVE SOUGHT PROSPECTIVE
CANDIDATES FOR SETTLEMENT IN HONG KONG FROM THE UNHCR. IN MARCH
AND APRIL THE UNHCR PROVIDED A LIST OF 52 REFUGEES. THE BROTHER
OF ONE REFUGEE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY ADDED MAKĦING A TOTAL OF 53. OUT
OF THESE WE FOUND THAT 33 MET OUR CRITERIA FOR SETTLEMENT HAN HONG
KONG (ETHNIC CHINESE, LONG STAYER, FINANCIALLY SELFSUFFICIENT).
THESE 33 NOW HAVE BEEN SETTLED MN HONG KONG. WE ARE KEEPING AN
EYE ON THEM TO ENSURE THAT EVERYTHING GOES WELL, BUT WE EXPECT FEW PROBLEMS.
2. THE REMAINING 20 WHOM WE DID NOT ACCEPT FOR SETTLEMENT
HAVE BEEN PUT TO ONE SIDE, RATHER THAN REJECTED AT THIS STAGE. THE
REASONS FOR NOT ACCEPTING THEM ARE THAT SOME ADMIT OPENLY THAT THEY
ARE ETHNIC WETNAMESE (DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE UNHCR KNOW OF OUR
CRITERIA), AND SOME ARE UNABLE TO SUPPORT THEMSELVES. WE HAVE BEEN QUITE LIBERAL OVER THE LENGTH OF STAY OF THOSE WHO ARE PRESENTED BY THE UNHCR. SOME 1980, 1981 AND 1982 CASES HAVE BEEN PRESENTED AND ACCEPTED.
3. FOR ADMINISTRATIVE REASONS THE UNHCR HAS BEEN ENCOUNTERING
DIFFICULTIES IN TARGETTING ON THE 1500 WHO HAVE BEEN HERE SINCE 1979 AND, IN PARTICULAR, THE 350 REFUGEES WHO ARE LAWING OUTSIDE КАНТ ТАК. WE ALL AGREE THAT THIS LATTER CATEGORY COULD PROVE THE
MOST FRUMITFUL.
4. NO (NO) CANDIDATES HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED BY THE UNHCR HN MAY. WE HAVE PRESSED THEM TO TRY HARDER AND THEY HAVE ASSURED US THAT THEY
AND GENEVA TREAT THIS MATTER VERY SERIOUSLY. HONG KONG IS THE ONLY
PLACE IN THE REGION TO HAVE ADOPTED ONE OF THE UNHCR'S ''DURABLE''
SOLUTIONS. THEY POINT OUT THAT HIT MIS MIN THE UNHCR'S INTEREST TO
MAKE THIS SCHEME WORK WE HOPE THAT ONCE THE UNHCR GETS A
LHITTLE MORE ORGANISED THINGS WILL PROCEED IN A BETTER FASHION.
5. AS REGARDS PARA 1 (C) OF YOUR TUR, THE RASRO TRANSIT CENTRE S NOW OFFICIALLY IN OPERATION, WE HAVE CONFIRMED TO THE UNHCR THAT SHIP RESCUE CASES CAN BEGIN TO BE TRANSFERRED ACCORDING TO THE
AGREED PROCEDURES. SO FAR NO (NO) REFUGEES HAVE BEEN
TRANSFERRED TO THE RASRO TRANSMIT CENTRE IN HONG KONG.
6. WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL TO SEE THE UK REPRESENTATIVES STATEMENT AT
THE INFORMAL EXCOM BEFOREHAND. GRATEFUL #F UKMS GENEVA COULD LET
US HAVE A COPY OF THE STATEMENT DESKBY 1008302.
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