PTZABK
HUD 243/7
ний
TALKS WITH DR GASTON SIGUR, 22 APRIL
39
Note for
re file
HONG KONG
JMS
2314
Vietnamese refugees
1. Mr McLaren said that the Vietnamese refugee issue was now a
very serious domestic political problem in Hong Kong. After appearing containable until June last year, there had been a steady
trend upwards in numbers and there were now almost 10,000. Hence
the UK had been discussing possible solutions other than just
resettlement in international fora like the JLG. He said that there
was mounting pressure in Hong Kong to start distinguishing between genuine refugees and economic migrants. He acknowledged that the USA had always been wary of such an approach but said that it was an avenue we were bound to explore unless we were prepared to see the
whole first asylum principle break down.
2. Mr Sigur said that an encouraging letter had been received by the US Court the previous day from Mr Sigghi restating Thailand's adherence to the first asylum principle. He then referred to his
recent visit to Hong Kong and his talks with the Governor. agreed that the problem would be eased with the UK to do a little
more. The US had taken some 63,000 in the last ten years, most of
whom were now useful US citizens.
They had
3. Mr McLaren said that we were and always had been extremely
grateful for all that the US had done. He hoped that the US would
look favourably on Hong Kong which had never turned a refugee away.
He stressed the enormous immigration pressures faced by the UK
dating from its historic responsibilities particularly in the
sub-continent which made it very difficult to win domestic approval
for an increased intake of Vietnamese refugees especially as many of them found it difficult to settle in the UK and find work, in
contrast to other immigrants.
4.
Mr Kelly said that the US welcomed the renaissance of the ODP and the increased Vietnamese co-operation it entailed. However, he said that although interviews had now restarted, Vietnam could still