TNAG-0975-FCO40-1194-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-in-other--1980 — Page 89

United Kingdom Mission

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Telegrams Prodrome Geneva

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UNCLASSIFIED/IMMEDIATE

Mrs C Anderson

UND

FCO

Your reference

Our reference

Date

12 September 1980

UNHCR SUB COMMITTEE ON PROTECTION, 2-3 OCTOBER

1. I enclose a copy of a letter from the Director of Protection, attaching the two papers on Extradition and Voluntary Repatriation which are to be considered by the Sub- Committee this year. You may have noticed from my record of the meeting of the Western members of the Executive Committee on 8 September that the Australians intend to revert to the theme of the development of the concept of temporary asylum, on which they led last year. We have not yet received Roy MacDowell's report on this subject; you will want to consider with him how we should handle it, in view of the fact that UNHCR have used the points which were agreed last year by the Executive Committee (with which we concurred) as arguments against Hong Kong's expulsion of Vietnamese refugees back to

China.

2.

Please see the comments in paras 5, 6 and 24 of the enclosed Note on International Protection (A/AC.96/579) to be put to the Executive Committee, which deals with the practice of a number of states whereby asylum seekers are regarded as illegal immigrants which often results in detention and expulsion. This has clear implications for Hong Kong and you may wish to bear this in mind for the brief.

3.

We should be grateful to know whether Roy MacDowall will be coming for the Sub-Committee. In any case I expect Dr Weis will be available to represent us, with support from the Mission.

ccs: P J Williamson Esq HKGD FCO

TCS Stitt Esq SEAD FCO

R A MacDowall Esq HOME OFFICE I C Orr Esq HONG KONG

DR Snoxell