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DSR 11C
political refugees.
There may well be some foundation for
this argument: but in the absence of any viable and
acceptable means of returning "non-refugees" to Vietnam
it is of no help at all to Hong Kong that resettlement
countries should choose to adopt this stance.
We are
however endeavouring
the main resettlement countries and UNHCR to explore
whether any sort of consensus exists on the Indochinese
"economic migrant" problem; and if it does, what possible
solutions can be identified to meet it. It is plain that
these consultations will not produce any early panacea to
the immediate problems that Hong Kong and other places of
first asylum now face, but it may eventually offer other
avenues, besides resettlement in the west, which we can
explore, perhaps through collective approaches to the
I shall of course keep you
to begin joint consultations with
Vietnamese authorities.
abreast of developments in our multilateral discussions.
But I should emphasise from the outset that, if our own
willingness to continue resettle Vietnamese refugees
could not be demonstrated, this would seriously if not
fatally impair our chances of giving an impetus to
international action directed at an eventual definitive
resolution of the problem of Vietnemse refugees.
9.
Meanwhile we need to consider urgently what more can
be done to help Hong Kong in the short term.
understand that David Waddington hopes to visit Hong Kong
at the end of this month, and that you would prefer not
to consider a new offtake from the territory until after
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