RECEIV
HISTRY
10 SEP 1986
⚫ction 1
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GRS 275
CONFIDENTIAL
FM CANBERRA
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 531
Confidential
OF 03004OZ SEPTEMBER 86
Vahelp/μl + / from this be Aus. ficunt)
INFO PRIORITY WASHINGTON. OTTAWA, TOKYO, UKMIS GENEVA, HONG KONG YOUR TELNO 1530 TO WASHINGTON: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG
132
ACTION TAKEN WITH HEAD OF REFUGEES BRANCHOF DFA (GORMAN).
2. GORAN WAS AT PAINS TO POINT OUT FIRSTLY THAT THE QUOTE HONOLULU GROUP UNQUOTE WAS AN INTER-GOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE
(IGC) FORMED FROM NATIONS WHO EITHER TOOK A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF REFUGEES FOR RESETLEMENT (VIZ USA, CANADA AND AUSTRALIA) AND JAPAN WHICH MADE CONSIDERABLE FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS FOR RESETTLEMENT. HE DID NOT QUITE SEE HOW THE
UK MIGHT QUALIFY IN THESE TERMS TO ASSERT A CLAIM FOR ASSOCIATION WITH THE IGC. SECONDLY, THE IGC IS AN INFORMAL GROUPING WHOSE UTILITY IS ENHANCED BY ITS INFORMAL STATUS. THE UNHCR IS NOT A MEMBER OF THE GROUP, WHICH CHOSE ONLY TO USE THE GENEVA EXCOM MEETING AS A CONVENIENT VENUE AT THAT TIME. ACCORDING TO GORMAN, THE IGC DOES NOT WISH TO HAVE ITS INFORMALITY COMPROMISED BY MEETING IN GENEVA MORE THAN IS NECESSARY.
3. GORMAN ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEMS FACED BY HONG KONG. HE SAID
THAT THE IGC WAS COMING ROUND TO BELIEVING THAT LONG TERM SOLUTIONS LAY IN MVING AWAY FROM CONSIDERING RESETTLEMENT AS THE SOLE MEANS OF ADDRESSING THE REFUGEE PROBLEM AND THAT AN EXAMINATION OF THE ROOT CAUSES OF REFUGEE (INCLUDING ECONOMIC REFUGEE) MOVEMENTS WAS ITS NEXT STEP. THIS WAS LIKELY TO INCLUDE EXAMINING THE POLITICAL RELATIONS OF IGC MEMBERS WITH VIETNAM, WHETHER ANY CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUE WITH CAMBODIA WAS FEASIBLE, LOOKING AT THOSE COUNTRIES' SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DIFFICULTIES
AND FOCUSSING ON SPECIFIC SOLUTIONS SUCH AS VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION. HE SAID THAT IGC MEMBERS WERE GROWING CLOSER TO HOLDING A MEETING TO DISCUSS NEW THEMES.
4. GORMAN SAID HE WOULD SEEK THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY OF
LIAISING WITH OTHER IGC MEMBERS O DISCUSS OUR APPROACH.
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