TNAG-1069-FCO40-1319-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-in-the-UK-1981 — Page 64

99

CONFIDENTIAL CRS STO

FM F C O 0618062 NOV 81

TO PRIORITY HONG KONG

CONFIDENTIAL

HICK 243/2 RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51

(100

TELEGRAM NUMBER 856 OF 6 NBOVEMBER.

INFO PRIORITY HANOI AND UKMIS GENEVA.

DESK OFFICER INDEX

YOUR TELNO 1003 : VIETNAMESE UNACCOMPANIED MINORS.

PA CRE

REMISTRY

Aption Taken

10/11 76010/4

1. WE ARE NOT SUGGESTING THAT CHILDREN SHOULD STAY INDEFINITELY

IN HONG KONG, BUT IT WOULD BE WRONG TO FORCE THEM ON TO PLANE

NOW GIVEN THE LACK OF ANY CLEAR INDICATION OF THEIR PARENT'S VIEWS,

OR INDEED OF THEIR OWN.

2. WE ACCEPT THAT THERE COULD BE PROBLEMS FOR YOU IF CHILDREN

See llor

WERE ALLOWED TO REMAIN AND NEWS OF THIS LEAKED. HOWEVER, THERE WOULD +KK 243/1

ALSO BE A SERIOUS PROBLEM FOR MINISTERS HERE IF THEY WERE FORCIBLY

REPATRIATED WHICH WOULD CERTAINLY BECOME FRONT PAGE NEWS. IT IS

HARD TO SEE HOW THIS COULD BE JUSTIFIED IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCE. WE KNOW THAT LORD ABERDARE HAS BEEN BRIEFED TO RAISE THE MATTER IN

THE LORDS IF NECESSARY.

3.

WE UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERN FOR UNHCR'S FUTURE DEALINGS WITH

VIETNAMESE. BUT VIETNAMESE TWO YEAR DELAY IN RESPONDING TO UNHCR'S

REQUEST HAS IN ITSELF MADE REPATRIATION MORE DIFFICULT. MOREOVER

IT MAKES IT ENTIRELY REASONABLE FOR UNHCR TO SPEND A LITTLE MORE

TIME TO ENSURE THAT THE RIGHT DECISION IS TAKEN. THE INTERESTS OF

THE CHILDREN THEMSELVES ARE PARAMOUNT: UNHCR POLICY IS BASED ON

HUMANITARIAN CONSIDERATIONS AND WE MUST BE SEEN TO HAVE FOLLOWED

THESE OURSELVES IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE.

4. WE STILL CONSIDER THAT AN ATTEMPT SHOULD BE MADE TO ASCERTAIN

VIEWS OF PARENTS. THOMPSON OF YMCA CLAIMS THAT PARENTS HAVE WRITTEN TO MISS CAMPBELL SAYING THAT THEY DEFINITELY DO NOT WANT CHILDREN TO RETURN. THIS LETTER MAY NOT BE IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE TO UNHCR, BUT IT STRENGTHENS THE ARGUMENT FOR THE LATTER DOUBLE-CHECKING.

5. IF SUCH A CHECK PROVIDED DEMONSTRABLE EVIDENCE OF THE PARENT'S

WISH TO HAVE THE CHILDREN BACK THE AIM SHOULD THEN BE TO CONVINCE

THE LATTER AND REPATRIATE THEM. IF HOWEVER IT WERE DECIDED THAT

THERE WAS NO CASE FOR REPATRIATION IN SPITE OF THE VIETNAMESE

AUTHORITIES AGREEMENT TO COOPERATE, WE WOULD ASK MINISTERS TO

CONSIDER EXCEPTIONALLY PERMITTING THE CHILDREN TO COME HERE.

THIS IS A SENSITIVE AND DIFFICULT CASE. IT IS IMPORTANT NOT

TO RUSH AND WE SHOULD NOT BE BOUND BY ANY DEADLINE.

CARRINGTON

-

SEAD Lead

PS/LPS Ps/pas

M'S DONALD

Cofres To

NKGO LONDON

P3/5 OF 5 SCOTLAND

CONFIDENTIAL

1982

120