LB2AEW
Points to Make
CONFIDENTIAL
FCO/HOME OFFICE SEMINAR: 17/18 OCTOBER
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG
HKK 243/11
1.
Mr Waddington's trip to Hong Kong (21 28 September) seems
to have received good coverage in Hong Kong.
assessment?
Home Office
2.
We see a need for further resettlement help for Hong Kong in
view of our special responsibility for territory. Believe public
and parliamentary opinion would support a further effort. Numbers
involved need not be large but signal that we accept our
responsibilities would encourage major resettlement countries to
take more.
3.
Must stress that we are not pressing resettlement option to
exclusion of all others. We are considering actively all possible
means of resolving Vietnamese refugee problem in Hong Kong. In view
of our responsibility for Hong Kong and Our concerns about
destabilising effect of
of continuing refugee problem in SE Asia now
seeking to involve ourselves in discussions with certain other
countries and UNHCR on other possible solutions (including possible
approach to Vietnamese, which could eventually lead to repatriation
of some refugees).
4.
FCO Officials had useful informal
informal contacts with members of
"Honolulu group" in Geneva last week. Discussion covered inter alia questions of possible solution to problem of Indochinese economic
migrants. Hope to learn very soon whether UK may become part
future group discussions. But you will appreciate we cannot move
forward into multilateral discussions faster than our interlocutors
allow.
Moreover, very considerable obstacles (humanitarian concern,
Parliamentary opinion) in way of any successful approach to Vietnam.
5.
CONFIDENTIAL