TNAG-1090-FCO40-1340-Illegal-immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-of-refugees-orig-1981 — Page 81

GR 275

RESTRICTED

FM HONG KONG 160902Z MAR

RESTRICTED

TO PRIORITY PEKING

TELNO 85 OF 16 MARCH, 1981

LONDON, UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON. INFO SAVING PARIS AND OTTAWA.

TOP COP

HICK

Miele 341/2 mon

उपना

RELOVED HUNTY NO. 31

INFO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE, HONG KONG GOVERNMENT1OFMER 1981

DESK OFACES

INDEX

PA

AP A'S LETTER OF 7 MARCH TO STITT, SEAD: VIETNAMED REFUGEES FROM CHINA.

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1. UNHCR HAVE NOW AGREED, THAT IN PRINCIPLE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES

SETTLED IN CHINA WHO COME ILLEGALLY TO HONG KONG SHOULD GO BACK TO CHINA. THE SMALL NUMBER WHO HAVE GENUINE POSSIBILITIES OF FURTHER RESETTLEMENT SHOULD APPLY TO THE UNHCR PEKING OFFICE.

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2. WE HAVE, NEVERTHELESS, AGREED THAT A LIST OF 17 PEOPLE AT PRESENT IN DETENTION CAN BE EXEMPTED FROM REPATRIATION, PROVIDED THE CLAIMED RELATIONSHIPS PROVE GENUINE AND THE COUNTRIES CONCERNED GUARANTEE THEIR RESETTLEMENT. THIS WAS REQUESTED BY CASSELLA OF UNHCR, AND AGREED TO, AS A HELPFUL GESTURE TOWARDS THE CHINESE. HE SAID THEY WISHED TO MAKE GOOD AN UNDERTAING GIVEN BY THEIR MISSION IN GENEVA LAST YEAR TO LOOK SYMPATHETICALLY AT THE LONG LIST OF EXCEPTIONS FOR WHICH UNHCR WERE THEN ARGUING.

3. CASSELLA THOUGHT THAT AGREEING TO THESE LIMITED EXCEPTIONS MIGHT HELP PRODUCE EARLY REPATRIATION ARRANGEMENTS FOR THOSE STILL IN DETENTION HERE. WE HAVE, THEREFORE, TOLD THE NCNA, WHO HAVE A COPY OF THE LIST, THAT WE HAVE AGREED. GRATEFUL IF SIMILAR ACTION COULD BE TAKEN WITH THE MFA AND/OR MINISTRY OF CIVIL AFFAIRS.

4. GUANGDONG OFFICIALS WITH WHOM THIS PROBLEM WAS RAISED LAST

WEEK BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY AND POLITICAL ADVISER WERE HELPFUL AND SYMPATHETIC, BUT SOME PUSH FROM CHINESE OFFICIALS IN PEKING MIGHT ALSO BE HELPFUL WITH OTHER PROVINCES INVOLVED SINCE REPATRIATIONS

CAN ONLY GO AHEAD AFTER ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE WITH THEM BY

GUANGDONG.

F.C.O. PASS SAVING PARIS AND OTTAWA.

REGISTRY

Action Tuken

Par 2013

see

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MACLEHOSE

[REPEATED AS REQUESTED}

17 MAR 1981

140.14

DESK INDEX

PA

ISTRY

ion Taken

SEAD

HK & GD

UND

FED

ECD

PUSD

INFORMATION D

NEWS D

PS

PS/LPS

PS/MR BLAKER PS/MR RIDLEY PS/PUS

SIR E YOUDE

STR A ACLAND

MR DONALD

LORD NG LENNOX

RESTRICTED-

PARA, SENZORITY + GARA.14'1'

COPIES TO:

MR RUSHFORD

LEGAL ADVISER

HONG KONG GOVT. OFFICE LONDON

THIS YELIG.M

WAS NOT ADVANCED

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