CONFIDENTI AL
FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS THAT THEY ARE WILLING TO ADMIT VIETNAMESE REFUGEES, WE ARE SCEPTICAL OF ANY UNDERTAKING BY THE UNHCR TO FIND COUNTRIES OF RESETTLEMENT WITHIN A TIME-SCALE WHICH WOULD BE
TOLERABLE TO HONG KONG.
4. WE ASSUME THAT IF THE UNHCR IS PREPARED TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR COSTS OF CARE AND MAINTENANCE IN HONG KONG, HE WOULD BE EQUALLY WILLING TO MEET THESE COSTS ELSEWHERE. WHY SHOULD THEY NOT GO TO BURMA, AT LEAST FOR TEMPORARY FIRST ASYLUM?
5. I HOPE, THEREFORE, THAT WE CAN COUNT ON THE FULLEST SUPPORT
OF HMG IN WHAT IS LIKELY TO BE ONLY THE FIRST OF A SERIES OF REALLY
DIFFICULT IMMIGRATION PROBLEMS FOR HONG KONG. MAY I SUGGEST THAT T8 BURMESE AMBASSADOR IN LONDON SHOULD BE ASKED IF HIS GOVERNMENT WOULD BE WILLING TO ADMIT THE GROUP FOR TEMPORARY FIRST ASYLUM'' WHILE THE UNHCR ARRANGES THEIR RESETTLEMENT AND PAYS FOR THEIR MAINTENANCE MEANWHILE.
6. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL ALSO IF YOU COULD EXPLAIN TO THE BURMESE AMBASSADOR (AS WE ARE EXPLAINING TO THE BURMESE CONSUL-GENERAL HERE) THAT OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH KKWANGTUNG PROVINCE AND OUR PAST EXPERIENCE WITH ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION FROM SOUTH-EAST ASIA PUT ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITY ON THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO ADOPT. A
VERY TOUGH ATTITUDE.
FCO PLEASE PASS SAVING TO HANOI.
ROBERTS
FILES
[REPEATED AS REQUESTED]
HKD
SEAD
MR CORTAZZI
MR MALE
SAD
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