RESTRICTED
RESTRICTED
FM WASHINGTON
TO ROUTINE FCO
TELNO 2483
OF 3021052 SEPTEMBER 96
RECEIVED DAUREGISTRY
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG, UKHIS GENEVA
8 OCT 1986
འ
161
ܐܙ܂
TOP COPY QDIST ?
Mar
YOUR TELNO 324 TO ATHENS: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG :
RESETTLEMENT
1.
THE MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENTS HERE HAVE BEEN THE PUBLICA- TION OF THE ADMINISTRATION'S PROGRESS REPORT ON IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RAY PANEL REPORT, AND SHULTZ'S SENATE TESTIMONY ON 16 SEPTEMBER (RICKETTS' LETTER OF 23 SEPTEMBER TO HKD).
2.
US OFFTAKE FROM HONG KONG IS LIKELY TO BE DOWN IN FY80 (WHICH ENDS TODAY). THE TOTAL WAS ABOUT 1300 AT THE END OF AUGUST, AS AGAINST 1685 IN FY86. OFFTAKE IS ALSO DOWN FOR OTHER SE ASIAN COUNTRIES. THIS REFLECTS THE INCREASING DIFFICULTY OF FINDING REFUGEES IN THE REGION WHO MATCH THE US CRITERIA.
3.
FOR FY87, THE PROJECTED TOTAL FOR SOUTH EAST ASIA IS DOWN
32.00 FROM 37000 TO 35000, THIS DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN AN EQUIVALENT REDUCTION IN EACH COUNTRY TOTAL, GIVEN THE DIFFICULTY IN FINDING ELIGIBLE REFUGEES. BUT THE OVERALL TREND IS DOWN-
WARD.
IN
WE HAVE PRESSED STATE SEVERAL TIMES AT SENIOR LEVEL TO FIND WAYS OF KEEPING UP THEIR ADMISSIONS FROM HONG KONG (OUR TELNOS 1565 AND 2251). THEY ACCEPT THAT HONG KONG IS A SPECIAL-CASE, VIEW OF ITS HIGH PROPORTION OF LONG-STAYERS. BUT THEY WANT TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEMS OF THE SOUTH EAST ASIAN COUNTRIES IN A
COORDINATED WAY.
4.
HENCE SHULTZ'S CALL, IN HIS SENATE TESTIMONY, FOR A RENEWED INTERNATIONAL EFFORT TO TACKLE THE LONG-STAYER PROBLEM. HE HAS MADE CLEAR THAT IF OTHERS DO THEIR SHARE, THE US WILL CONSIDER TAKING MORE LONG-STAYERS THEMSELVES. STATE CONFIRM THAT THIS PROPOSAL WAS MADE WITH HONG KONG MUCH IN MIND, AND THEY WILL WANT TO DISCUSS IT WITH US AND OTHERS CONCERNED IN THE MARGINS OF THE GENEVA MEETING. THEY ADD THAT IT REFLECTS A VIEW HERE THAT THE US SHOULD NOT BE EXPECTED TO SHOULDER MORE OF THE BURDEN
ALONE.
ACLAND
OR WEAN 6685
BOAT PEOPLE
LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
UND
FED
NEWS D
ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION
BOAT PEOPLE
MAED
P8
PS/MR RENTON PS/ MR EGGAR
MR SLATER
MR WILSON
MR BRAITHWAITE
RESTRICTED
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
1OCT 1986
FICK Q
на