TNAG-0896-FCO40-1106-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 271

(c)

CONFIDENTIAL

FEDERAL GERMAN POLICY ON CATEGORIES OF REFUGEES WAS AS RECORDED IN MY TUR, PARA 2.

(D) CURRENT NATIONAL OFFERS OF RESETTLEMENT PLACES WERE AS RECOR

IN MY TUR, PARA 3.

(E)

THE FRG ADMIRED THE HUMANE AND RESPONSIBLE POLICY PURSUED BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT. THE FRG HAD ALREADY TAKEN 449 REFUGEES FROM THE COLONY. WHILST THEY WERE UNABLE TO GIVE ANY OFFICIAL ASSURANCE, WHICH COULD EASILY BE UPSET BY AN UPSURGE IN RESCUES BY GERMAN SHIPS, THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION WAS TO TAKE QUOTE A SIMILAR FIGURE UNQUOTE FROM HONG KONG BEFORE THE END OF

THE YEAR.

(F) PUBLIC OPINION IN THE FRG WAS AT THE MOMENT SEIZED OF THE

REFUGEE QUESTION, PARTICULARLY ITS MORE DRAMATIC ASPECTS. THERE WAS SOME CRITICISM OF AN INADEQUATE RESPONSE BY THE GERMAN AUTHORITIES. BUT THE MOOD COULD CHANGE QUICKLY TO ONE OF ACCUSATION THAT THE REFUGEES WERE TAKING UP SCARCE PLACES 'ON THE LABOUR MARKET ETC.

(G) THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE CONSIDERED IN

ISOLATION. THE GOVERNMENT CONTINUED TO FACE AN ANNUAL INFLUX OF 60,000 FROM EASTERN EUROPE. THIS IMPOSED OBVIOUS LIMITS ON THE CAPACITY OF THE LAENDER.

4. THE QUESTION OF RESCUE SHIPS WAS RAISED ONLY WITH VERBEEK. HE AGREED ENTIRELY WITH WILSON'S ARGUMENTS THAT RESCUE SHIPS TENDED TO STIMULATE THE OUTFLOW FROM VIETNAM, THAT MORE REFUGEES DIED AS A RESULT, THAT THE PRESENCE OF RESCUE SHIPS HAD CAUSED THE EXIT PRICE TO RISE AND HAD GIVEN THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT AN EXCUSE FOR SAYING THAT THE WEST WAS THWARTING THEIR EFFORTS TO REDUCE

THE FLOW.

5. WILSON ASKED IF IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS IN HONG KONG TO VISIT LAND CAPITALS TO PUT HONG KONG'S CASE DIRECT TO THOSE WHO COULD OFFER PLACES (HE WAS THINKING IN PARTICULAR OF THE IMPENDING VISIT BY THE GERMAN HEAD OF THE HONG KONG CHRISTIAN COUNCIL). HE ALSO ASKED IF IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR MCG'S SIMILARLY TO ARGUE HONG KONG'S CASE DIRECT WITH THE, LAENDER. THE. FOREIGN MINISTRY REPLIED THAT BOTH APPROACHES COULD WELL DO GOOD. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WOULD HAVE NO OBJECTION. THE INTERIOR MINISTRY WERE MORE CAUTIOUS BUT IN THE END ADOPTED THE SAME POSITION. 6. WILSON ASKED PETERSEN IF HE HAD ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS FOR INCREASING GERMAN RESETTLEMENTS FROM HONG KONG. PETERSEN SAID THAT HONG KONG'S CASE SHOULD BE PUT WHENEVER AND WHEREEVER POSSIBLE. THE MEDIA AND VISITS TO THE FRG COULD BOTH PROFITABLY BE USED.

2. CONFIDENTIAL

/IT