GRS 250
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 24093OZ FCO
TELNO 3088
CONFIDENTIAL
OF 240805Z SEPTEMBER 86
FCO FOR HKD CLINTON LEEKS
Прім
FROM: LINDA LAP, SECURITY BRANCH,
The Bartin
YOUR TELNO 2027: VRST TO HONG KONG OF MR. HOCKE, UNHCR
са
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ию
FOLLOWING HIS TEXT OF LETTER FROM KEN WOODHOUSE TO CLINTON LEEKS
DATED 22 SEPTEMBER 1986:
THE HIGH COMMISSIONER HAD LITTLE TO OFFER US OR THE MAJOR
RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES. HE WAS PRESSED BY US AND THEM TO GIVE HIS
VIEWS ON ECONOMIC MIGRANTS AND INVOLUNTARY REPATRIATION. HE REFUSED
TO CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITY THE UNHCR'S DEFINITION OF REFUGEE
MIGHT HAVE TO BE AMENDED. HE SAID THAT EVEN THOUGH THEIR REASONS
FOR LEAVING VIETNAM MIGHT BE PRIMARILY ECONOMIC, THEY STILL HAD
SOME CLAIM TO REFUGEE STATUS. DESPITE THIS HE UNDERSTOOD THE
INCONSISTENCY OF PLACES OF ASYLUM ACCPETING (NEXT WORD UNDERLINED)
ALL WHO ARRIVE AS REFUGEES WHILE THE RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES
CLASSIFIED ONLY (NEXT WORD UNDERLINED) SOME AS REFUGEES. BUT HE SAID
THAT THIS WAS A MATTER FOR THE ASYLUM COUNTRIES TO DISCUSS WITH
THE RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES. HE DID NOT SEE HT AS A MATTER ON WHICH
THE UNHCR COULD TAKE THE LEAD.
2. HE FOLLOWED THIS LONE WHEN DISCUSSING INVOLUNTARY REPATRIATION.
HE DID NOT THINK THAT THE UNHCR SHOULD, OR INDEED COULD, TAKE THE LEAD ON INVOLUNTARY REPATRIATION. HE SAID THAT #F COUNTRIES WISHED
TO DISCUSS THIS WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF WIETNAM AND REACH AN
ACCOMMODATION, THEN THE UNHCR WOULD BE HAPPY TO FOLLOW WHATEVER
LINE HAD BEEN AGREED.
3. WE PRESSED HIM FOR AN INDICATION OF CONTINUED PRIORITY
SUPPORT FOR HONG KONG NEXT YEAR. WE POINTED OUT THAT ALTHOUGH
HONG KONG HAD BRIEFLY LOST HTS LEADING POSITION IN THE REGION
(TO MALAYSIA), WE ONCE AGAIN HAVE THE GREATEST NUMBER OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES AWAITING RESETTLEMENT. WE REMINDED HIM THAT THE FACTORS
WHICH PERSUADED. THE UNHCR AND RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES TO HELP HONG
KONG LAST YEAR CONTINUED TO APPLY THIS YEAR WE HAVE THE GREATEST
NUMBER: WE HAVE THE LONGEST STAYERS: WE HAVE THE GREATEST NUMBER
OF LONG-STAYERS: AND WE HAVE THE LARGEST NUMBER OF DIFFICULT-TO-
RESETTLE NORTH VIETNAMESE. THE HIGH COMMISSIONER ASSURED US THAT
HE WOULD PRESS HONG KONG'S CASE IN GENEVA. WE HOPE THAT THIS IS
TRUE, BUT HIS ATTITUDE DID NOT GIVE US GROUND FOR HOPE.
YOUDE
MINIMAL.
HKD
SEAD
Like 21/3
RECEIVED IN REGISZY
26 SEP 1986
parabiahe
বজ
UND.
CONFIDENTIAL
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