GRS 700
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 2515
Confidential
OF 050855Z AUGUST 86
NFO IMMEDIATE CANBERRA, UKMS GENEVA, HANO, BANGKOK
INFO AMMEDIATE KUALA LUMPUR
OUR TEL 2237 : WETNAMESE REFUGEES
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WE HAVE RECENTLY ALSO HAD A MEETING WITH THE AUSTRALMAN CONSUL
GENERAL TO DISCUSS OUR VIETNAMESE REFUGEE PROBLEM. WE POINTED OUT
TO HER THE DIFFICULTIES WE HAVE BEEN FACHING WITH SO LARGE A NUMBER
OF THE WETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE STILL STRANDED #N HONG KONG (HONG
KONG HAVING THE SECOND LARGEST POPULATION OF BOAT PEOPLE AMONG ALL THE ASYLUM COUNTRIES IN THE SOUTH EAST ASIAN REGION)
AND THE CONTINUAL ARRIVAL OF NEW REFUGEES THIS YEAR AT A RATE MORE
THAN DOUBLE THAT OF LAST YEAR. WE SAID WE WERE MOST GRATEFUL
FOR THE ENCOURAGING RESPONSE GIVEN BY THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT TO
THE UK MANITHATOVE AND HOPED THEY WOULD CONTINUE TO DO WHATEVER
THEY POSSIBLY COULD TO HELP HONG KONG REDUCE ITS REFUGEE POPULATION
2. IN REPLY MS. WENSLEY EXPLAINED THAT FOR FINANCHAL YEAR 1985-86
(RUNNING FROM JULY TO JUNE), AUSTRALIA HAD ACCEPTED A TOTAL OF 616 REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG, SLIGHTLY MORE THAN THE FIGURE THEY PROMISED TO TAKE (M.E. 600 REFUGEES). SHE SAND THE QUOTE FOR FY 1986-87 WAS NOT YET KNOWN BUT FROM ALL THE INDICATIONS, HIT WAS LIKELY THAT THE ORIGINAL QUOTA FOR 1985-86 PRIOR TO THE INCREASE OF 200 ADDITIONAL PLACES DUE TO THE UK INITIATIVE MIGHT BE MAINTAINED TO GIVE A POSSIBLE OFFTAKE OF 400 FROM HONG KONG. SHE ALSO EXPLAINED
THAT THERE WOULD NOT BE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN AUSTRALIA'S RESETTLEMENT POLICY REGARDING INDO-CHINESE REFUGEES. THE AUSTRAL MAN
GOVERNMENT INTENDED TO KEEP THE PLANNING LEVEL FOR REFUGEES AND
SPECIAL HUMANITARIAN CASES #N FY 1986-87 UNCHANGED AT 12,000 TOG- ETHER WITH THE SAME CONTINGENCY RESERVE OF 2,000 AS FOR 1985-86.
3. WE SUGGESTED TO THE AUSTRALIAN CONSUL-GENERAL THAT IN VIEW OF
THE LARGE REFUGEE POPULATION AND THE NUMBER OF LONG-STAYERS N HONG KONG, AT WOULD BE OF GREAT HELP TO US OF AUSTRALA COULD CONS- MDER TAKHING 200 MORE THAN THE AMITCHPATED QUOTE OF 400 FROM HONG
KONG. WE POINTED OUT THAT THEIR MINISTER FOR IMMIGRATION AND ETHNIC AFFAIRS, MR. CHRIS HURFORD, WHEN COMMENTING ON THE UK INITIATIVE LAST YEAR, HAD MENTIONED THAT AUSTRALIA WOULD INCCREASE MITS QUOTA FOR FY 1985-86 FROM 400 TO 600 AND POSSIBLY TO 800.
HIN PRACTICE THE EXTRA 200 RESETTLEMENT PLACES HAD NEVER MATERIALISED.
WE HOPED THAT THE AUTRAL HAN GOVERNMENT MIGHT AS IT WERE CARRY THE EXTRA 200 OVER TO THE COMING YEAR'S QUOTA BY TAKING 200 MORE TO MAKE UP A 1986-87 OFFTAKE OF 600. MS. WESNLEY PROMISED TO PUT THIS POSSIBILITY TO CANBERRA BUT WAS NOT (NOT) OPTISTIC.
Confidential
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