4.ZSYNZ
(START CM)36
7 OCTOBER 1986
G773
}
CONFIDENTIAL
FOR DAVID JEAFFRESON, SECRETARY FOR SECURITY FROM KEN WOODHOUSE, IN GENEVA
COPIED TO
UNHCR EXCOM
DELIA WALKER, UKMIS GENEVA
BEN TANG : HKG OFFICE LONDON, (PLEASE PASS TO LEEKS AT FCO)
DISCUSSION WITH CANADIANS
I SPOKE BRIEFLY TO TERRY SHEEHAN, DIRECTOR-GENERAL, LEGAL, CONSULAR AND IMMIGRATION AFFAIRS BUREAU, DEPARTMENT OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS: C.K. CAMPBELL, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, REFUGEE POLICY, DEPARTMENT OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS: AND SCOTT HEATHERINGTON, DIRECTOR REFUGEE AFFAIRS, EMPLOYMENT AND IMMIGRATION CANADA.
2. THEY WERE VERY INTERESTED IN HONG KONG'S INVOLUNTARY REPATRIATION PROPOSALS. I EXPLAINED THE POSITION ON THIS. THEY THOUGHT THAT THERE WERE MORE SIGNS THAT SOMETHING ALONG THESE LINES MIGHT DEVELOP. THEY WERE THINKING OF FIRST DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING A SCREENING PROCEDURE. WHEN I ARGUED THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO THOSE SCREENED OUT AND HENCE CONSIDER INVOLUNTARY REPATRIATION, THEY SAID THAT IT WAS UNLIKELY THAT THE U.S. WOULD SUPPORT SUCH A STEP. POLITICAL PRESSURES IN AMERICA WOULD MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR OFFICIAL ENDORSEMENT OF SUCH A POLICY THEY IMPLIED THAT THEY WOULD SUPPORT IT AND SEPARATE DISCUSSIONS I HAD WITH PETER HUGHES FROM THE AUSTRALIAN DELEGATION SUGGESTED THAT THEY WOULD ALSO BE IN FAVOUR.
3.
THE CANADIANS POINTED TO THE REDUCTION IN ARRIVALS ASSOCIATED WITH THE THAI/LAOTIAN SCREENING SCHEME IN
*
WHICH NO LAOTIANS SCREENED OUT HAVE BEEN RETURNED. THEY SAID EVEN THIS EFFECT ON HONG KONG AND ELSEWHERE WOULD BE HELPFUL.
THEY ALSO SAID THAT THOSE SCREENED OUT COULD BE OFFERED VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION AND GIVEN THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES (THEY WOULD BE INELLIGABLE FOR RESETTLEMENT AND WOULD NOT BE VISITED BY ANY OF THE RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES) THE PROPORTION WHO APPLIED MIGHT BE HIGHER THAN AT PRESENT.
5. I POINTED TO THE PRACTICAL PROBLEM OF ACCOMMODATING THOSE SCREENED OUT. SECURITY WOULD BE AN EVEN GREATER PROBLEM THAN IN OUR CLOSED CENTRES. BUT I ALSO SUGGESTED THAT ANY REDUCTION IN ARRIVALS AS A RESULT OF SCREENING WOULD PROBABLY ELIMINATE THE NORTHERNERS, WHO WOULD BE VERY UNLIKELY TO QUALIFY FOR REFUGEE STATUS.
COMMENT
6.
IT MIGHT BE WORTHWHILE LOOKING FURTHER AT THIS IDEA. IT DOES HOLD OUT SOME HOPE FOR HONG KONG.
ENDS
JJJ
CONFIDENTIAL
A
(END CM)