TNAG-1022-FCO40-1272-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-the-United-Nations-1981 — Page 130

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Ref: VR/MISC

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J10.!

10.6

To Mr P Williamson, FCO HKGD

HKK

022

14

Сс VR/UK

AC/HQ's L/M

AC/HQ's Note on Discussions

with UNHCR Members, 2.6.81

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Registr Pi Pl. copy to

Mr 8KH SEAD

and Mr

Godfrey

As a matter of regular liaison with the UNHCR Office, I had lunch today with Mr J Landau, UK Representative. Mr D R McNamara, Legal Adviser in Asia, normally based in HK UNHCR, happens to be here and joined us as well. His mission is to promote legislation in SE Asia for the protection of refugees.

2.

As usual, I talked generally about the refugee situation in HK and the worry that continued to present to our community and Government. Mr McNamara's presence turned out to be a help because he was able to bring a fresh, up-to-date view from HK UNHCR Office. A few points from our exchange are note-worthy.

3.

Mr Casella's visit--This is UNHCR's Chief of the East Asia Section. He will be in town in the middle of this month and Mr Landau hopes to arrange for me to meet him. Mr Landau had tried to organise a meeting for him with our PA-designate on 16.6.81. Unfortunately, Mr McLaren will be busy with visiting Japanese dignitaries.

4. UN Refugee Convention (1951) and Protocol (1967)--These are international instruments aimed at protecting refugees. Mr McNamara mentioned this in the context :

(a)

that HK has a good record of having done nothing whatsoever in contravention; but

(b) that it is a pity the UK has not extended

application of these instruments to HK.

Mr McNamara added that these had been extended to cover a number of British dependencies and extension to HK would give international recognition to the importance of the instruments. I think he reckons that inclusion of HK, with our proud of humanitarian handling of refugees, would give a breakthrough for his cause of promoting laws for the protection of refugees, particularly as :

(a) no territory in SE Asia has any such legislation;

and

(b) a few territories in the region are in breach of

the provisions in the instruments.

5. He had apparently raised this in HK with one or two officials, notably in Security Branch and in Legal Department; but no one seems to have heard anything about the Convention or the Protocol.

.../ I