GRS 550
ник 24318
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
- 4 JUN 1936
DESK OFFICER
PA
REGISTRY Action Taken
RESTRICTED
INDEX
RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG
TO ROUTINE FCO
TELNO 1637
OF 290155Z MAY 86
INFO ROUTINE UKMIS GENEVA, CANBERRA, HANO, STOCKHOLM, OTTAWA
FOR HUM FROM JEAFFRESON.
O
OUR TELNO 1567 : NVOLUNTARY REPARTRIIATION
THE PESSIMISTIC OUTLOOK IN CANBERRA'S TELNO 328 FOLLOWED A REUTERS
REPORT THAT IMMIGRATION MINISTER CHRIS HURFORD HAD SAID THAT
AUSTRALIA WOULD STOP GIVING PRIORITY TO VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE
BECAUSE AN INCREASING NUMBER WERE LEAVING VIETNAM FOR ECONOMIC
RATHER THAN FOR POLITICAL REASONS. HURFORD SAID THAT AUSTRALIA WAS
DETERMINED TO ENSURE THAT THE VERY SCARCE RESOURCES WHICH
AUSTRALIA HAD AVAILABLE TO RESPOND TO THE NEEDS OF GENUINE REFUGEES
WERE NOT ABUSED BY OTHERS WITH NO REAL CLAIM FOR REFUGEE STATUS.
HE ADMITTED THAT ECONOMIC CONDITIONS IN VIETNAM WERE EXTREMELY
BLEAK AND THAT PEOPLE HAD EVERY INCENTIVE TO LEAVE TO SECURE A BETTER FUTURE, BUT ARGUED THAT IT WAS TIME VIETNAM STARTED TO TAKE
PART IN THE WORLD COMMUNITY BY ALLOWING OTHER COUNTRIES TO HELP.
WITH ITS REDEVELOPMENT.
2. AT HER REQUEST, FIRST SECRETARY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
CO-OPERATION OF THE SWEDISH MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS (CECILIA
HOGLUND) CALLED TO DISCUSS THE REFUGEE SITUATION IN HONG KONG. SHE
EXPLAINED THAT SHE WAS ENDING SEVERAL WEEKS IN HONG KONG DURING
WHICH SHE HAD OBSERVED THE WORK OF THE SWEDISH MISSION WHICH VISITED
HONG KONG RECENTLY AND ACCEPTED 96 REFUGEES FOR RESETTLEMENT. SHE
SPECIFICALLY ASKED ABOUT REPATRIATION. WE EXPLAINED THAT THE NUMBER
OF VOLUNTEERS HAD BEEN FEW AND THE CO-OPERATION OF VIETNAMESE
AUTHORITIES VERY POOR. SHE THEN ASKED ABOUT RETURNING THOSE WHO WERE
NOT REFUGEES. WE DREW ATTENTION TO OUR TREATMENT OF ILLEGAL
IMMIGRANTS BUT DECLINED TO BE DRAWN FURTHER ON VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.
WE THINK THAT THIS ALSO DEMONSTRATES A WILLINGNESS TO DISCUSS THIS
PROBLEM MORE OPENLY.
3. OUR INTERPRETATION OF THESE RUMBLINGS FROM THE AMERICANS,
AUSTRALIANS, CANADIANS AND SWEDES IS THAT, ONCE THE RESPONSE TO THE UK INITIATIVE IS OVER, WE WILL EXPERIENCE CONSIDERABLE
DIFFICULTIES OVER RESETTLEMENT. WE CAN THINK OF ONLY TWO RESPONSES
THAT MIGHT BE EFFECTIVE.
RESTRICTED
14
13