TNAG-1179-FCO40-1481-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-into-the--1982 — Page 58

00 WASHINGTON

GRS 204

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO 241120Z FEB 82

TO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON

(26)

CONIDENTIAL

24983

-

1

Hkk 243/1

RYNO. 51

TELEGRAM NUMBER 338 OF 24 FEBRUARY

INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG

ROUTINE UKMIS GENEVA

PA

No

5/3

UKMIS GENEVA TELNO 71 TO FCO: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG

1. WE EXPLORED FURTHER WITH UNHCR (CASSELA) ON 22 FEBRUARY THEIR

UNDERSTANDING OF US POLICY ON 4 E CASES. WE NOW BELIEVE THAT A

POLICY DECISION MAY HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO CONTINUE CONSIDERATION OF

4 E CASES ELSEWHERE IN SOUTH EAST ASIA AND NOT (NOT) IN HONG KONG

BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF REFUGEES ARRIVING THERE ARE NORTH

VIETNAMESE. THERE IS THEREFORE NO SENSE OF US OBLIGATION TOWARDS

THESE AS THERE IS TOWARDS SOUTH VIETNAMESE.

2. PLEASE SEEK URGENT CLARIFICATION OF THE POSITION FROM THE STATE

DEPARTMENT. YOU SHOULD EXPLAIN THAT WE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN UNDER

THE IMPRESSION THAT THE CHANGES IN RESPECT OF 4 E CASES INTRODUCED

AT THE END OF 1981 WERE TO BE APPLIED IN ALL SOUTH EAST ASIAN

FIRST ASYLUM TERRITORIES AND THAT WE AND HONG KONG WOULD OBVIOUSLY

BE VERY CONCERNED IF SUCH DISCRIMINATION AGAINST HONG KONG HAD

BEEN INSTITUTED.

3. WE WISH TO RETAIN THE OPTION OF FURTHER ACTION WITH THE

AMERICANS BEFOR: THE MEETING IN MANILA NEXT WEEK AND SHOULD THERE-

FORE BE GRATEFUL FOR EARLY REPORT ON US RESPONSE.

AFIL13

See 27

28

CARRINGTON

NNNN

DISTRIBUTION:

LIMITED

HKG D

SEAD

UND

PS/LPS

MR DONALD

COPIES TO:

HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE,

LONDON.

: