4. MS. WENSLEY THEN REFERRED TO THE STATEMENT MADE BY MR. CHRIS HURFORD ABOUT THE INCREASING CONCERN THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT HAD OVER THE PROBLEM OF THE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF REFUGEES WHO HAD DEPARTED WETNAM FOR ECONOMIC REASONS. THE AUSTRAL BANS BELIEVE THAT A LARGE PROPORTION OF THOSE LEAVING VIETNAM NOWADAYS ARE NOT GENUINE REFUGEES AND CANNOT ESTABLISH ANY CLAMM OF HINDIVIDUAL POLITICALLY-MOTIVATED PERSECUTION. RATHER, THEIR MAHIN REASON FOR LEAVING THE COUNTRY WAS FOR THE PURPOSE OF ACHIEVING A BETTER ECONOMIC LIFE. IN THE OPINION OF THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT, SUCH REFUGEES SHOULD BE SCREENED SO THAT RESCOURCES MADE AVAILABLE BY AUSTRALIA (AND THE HINTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY GENERALLY) TO RESPOND TO THE NEEDS OF GENUINE REFUGEES WERE NOT ABUSED BY THOSE WHO HAD NO REAL CLAIM FOR REFUGEE STATUS. WE AGREED WE HAD ALSO HIDENTIFIED AN INCREASING NUMBER OF ARRIVALS WHO HAD COME BECAUSE OF ECONOMIC REASONS AND THAT THE ONLY WAY TO PREVENT FURTHER ARRIVALS FROM THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE WAS TO RETURN THEM FROM WHENCE THEY CAME. MS. WENSLEY'S BRIEF RESPONSE COULD BE INTERPRETED TO THE EFFECT THAT THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT, BECAUSE #T WANTED TO REDUCE THE UNEMPLOYMENT CREATED BY ECONOMIC MIGRANTS, AT LEAST WOULD NOT (NOT) OPPOSE THIS SOLUTION. BUT, BECAUSE OF HMG'S PRESENT OPPOSITION TO HIT, WE DID NOT (NOT) PRESS HER FOR A CLEARER ANSWER.
5. MS. WENSLEY ALSO RAMSED THE QUESTION OF MERCY SHIPS AND SUBSEQUENTLY SENT US A PAPER SETTING OUT THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT'S
VIEWS ON THEIR OPERATIONS WHICH HIS MNCLUDED IN MIFT.
6. WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE FOR CANBERRA TO TRY AND GET THE AUSTRALMAN GOVERNMENT TO FARM UP HITS VIEWS ON REPATRIATING ECONOMIC MIGRANTS, AS PART OF YOUR EFFORT TO DEVELOP A MULTILATERAL APPROACH TO SOLVE
THE LONG TERM PROBLEM (YOUR TEL 1464)?
AKERS-JONES
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HMLNAN 0009
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LIMITED най
SEAD
900
SPD
MR WILSON
[REPEATED AS REQUESTED)
Confidential
!