CONFIDENTIAL
175343
MDLIAN 5883
MEASURES (SHORT OF PUSH-OFFS) TO DETER ARRIVALS OF BOAT PEOPLE FROM
VIETNAM MANY OF WHOM SHE THOUGHT WOULD BE UNRESETTLABLE.
6. ON THE QUESTION OF MORE UNHCR FUNDING ASSISTANCE FOR THE CARE
AND MAINTENANCE OF REFUGEES IN HONG KONG MISS WENSLEY AGREED THAT
HONG KONG'S POSITION WAS SOMEWHAT ANOMALOUS, BUT CONSIDERED THAT AUSTRALIA'S CURRENT BUDGETARY POSITION WOULD MILITATE AGAINST ANY
INCREASE IN AUSTRALIA'S CONTRIBUTION TO UNHCR OR INDEED TO ANY
MULTILATERAL AGENCY.
7. IN AN ASIDE REFERRING TO REMARKS REPORTEDLY MADE RECENTLY BY
MRS FAN ABOUT INTERNATIONAL BODIES AND RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES FAILING
TO DO ENOUGH TO HELP HONG KONG, MISS WENSLEY SAID HER GOVERNMENT HAD REASON TO FEEL AGGRIEVED AT SUCH STATEMENTS IN VIEW
OF THE CONTRIBUTION AUSTRALIA HAD MADE IN RESETTLING INDO-CHINESE
REFUGEES GENERALLY AND VIETNAMESE REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG. BARNES
RESPONDED BY ASSURING HER THAT AUSTRALIA'S CONTRIBUTIONS IN THIS REGARD WERE NOT UNDERVALUED. MRS FAN'S REMARKS HAD BEEN TAKEN SOMEWHAT OUT OF CONTEXT AS THEY WERE DIRECTED PRIMARILY AT THE
UNHCR AND THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE WHICH WAS UNABLE
OR UNWILLING TO PROVIDE THE RESETTLEMENT OR FINANCIAL WHICH HONG
KONG NOW REQUIRED.
WILSON
YYYY
DISTRIBUTION
121
ΜΑΙΝ
118
.VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HK
ECD (E)
LIMITED
SPD
HKD
FED
SEAD
UND
LEGAL ADVISERS
WED
SED
PUSD
E CD (I)
NEWS
PS/LORD GLENARTHUR
PS MR EGGAR
PS/PUS
MR GILLMORE
MR SLATER
MR MCLAREN
2
PAGE
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