TNAG-0557-FCO40-652-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-into-othe-1975 — Page 4

Mr Male

Mr Wilford

PS/Lord Goronwy-Roberts

CONFIDENTIAL

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VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG:

1.

UNHCR INVOLVEMENT

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In para. 4 of his submission of 15 May, Mr O'Keeffe raised

the question of how we might approach the problem of UNHCR involvement in the resettlement of Vietnamese refugees in Hong

Kong.

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Subsequently we asked Hong Kong if they would like to reassess their views on likely Chinese reaction to UNHCR involvement in this matter. In reply both Hong Kong and Peking took the view

1129) that the Chinese might well object to the UNHCR being directly

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involved in dealing with the Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong, but that they probably would not object to the ICEM processing the refugees on behalf of the UNHCR. ICEM are an organisation whose basic purpose is to facilitate the movement of European migrants and refugees. They have a small office in Hong Kong responsible for processing European emigrants from China. ICEM have kept a watching brief for the UNHCR in Hong Kong since his office closed there in 1972, although UNHCR officials have continued to make brief, unpublicised visits to the territory. Our Mission in Geneva have made the point, however, that the UNHCR might not wish to use

the ICEM channel.

3.

If we allow the UNHCR to become directly involved in the processing of Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong, there is a risk that this could provoke an adverse Chinese reaction. Against this, however, must be set the fact that the UNHCR is already involved in the fate of the refugees, both through his own interest and through the fact that certain governments only seem prepared to consider taking Vietnamese refugees from Hong Kong if this is done under the aegis of the UNHCR. This is true of the Danes and may well be true of the

(134)

6) Australians. The UNHCR's own interest has now taken the form of a

request that his Far Eastern regional representative, Mr Kadry, should visit Hong Kong shortly. We must instruct our Mission in Geneva

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on how to react.

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CONFIDENTIAL

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