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OCMIAN 9444
CONFIDENTIAL
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CONFIDENTIAL
CONIDENTIAL
FM CO
TO RIGRITY WASHINGTON
TEL:0 1530
OF 11500Z SEPTEMBER 86
AND TO PRIORITY OTTAWA, CANBERRA, TOKYC
INF
PRIORITY HONG KONG, UKMIS GENEVA
INFO ROUTINE BANGKOK, HANOI, KUALA LUMPUR
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG
138.
DISTRIBUTION SELECTORS
FILE COPY
59444
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1.
IN THE LIGHT BOTH OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY FOR HONG KONG AND
OF THE CONTINUING INFLOW OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES INTO THE TERRITORY,
WE HAVE BEEN REVIEWING OUR POSITION ON THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEE
PROBLEM. WE ARE PARTICULARLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE RELUCTANCE THAT
SOME OF THE MAIN RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES ARE NOW SHOWING TO ACCEPT REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG WHOM THEY CONSIDER TO HAVE LEFT VIETNAM FOR
ECONOMIC RATHER THAN POLITICAL REASONS: AND ALSO ABOUT THE
IMPLICATIONS FOR HONG KONG OF A PROBAB DECLINE IN THE RATE OF
RESETTLEMENT IN CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE THE FLOW OF NEW ARRIVALS IN HONG KONG FROM VIETNAM IS CONTINUING.
2.
MINISTERS HAVE THEREFORE AGREED THAT WE SHOULD
BEGIN CONSULTATIONS WITH RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES, FIRST ASYLUM COUNTRIES, AND UNHCR ON THE CONTINUING CUTFLOW FROM INDOCHINA, INCLUDING CONSIDERATION OF THE LONG TERM PROBLEM OF QUOTE
ECONOMIC MIGRANTS UNQUOTE FROM INDOCHINA. TO THIS END, MINISTERS HAVE AGREED THAT AS A FIRST STAGE WE SHOULD SEEK TO INVOLVE
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