TNAG-1183-FCO40-1485-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-into-the--1982 — Page 100

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Reference

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FA 243/23

veeppis 17/9.

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cc: Those present

File FA 243/15 Mr Conyard, MVD

REFUGEES IN SE ASIA

NO

Record of a meeting held by Mr K F X Burns, SEAD, FCO on

13 September.

Present: Mrs A, Lee

Mr S Spence

Mr B Smith

Mr J Siddle

Mr G Edgar

Mr CMJ Segar

Voluntary Services Unit, Home Office

Home Office, Lunar House

Shipping Policy Division, Dept of Transport Legal Advisers, FCO

Hong Kong and General Department. FCO South East Asia Department

Hong Kong Registered Shipping (M V Poyang and Hupeh)

1.

Mr Smith confirmed that under the act of 1894 shipping could be registered in Hong Kong as in other British ports. However, conditions, eg on questions of taxation, were quite different from mainland UK ports and it would be reasonable to regard the Hong Kong, like the Bermudan, as a spearate register. Mr Siddle agreed that all ports of British registry might be viewed alike internationally but internally could be separately managed. We had been concerned in recent years to counter criticism of flags of convenience in fora such as UNCTAD and had therefore, in the two rescue incidents in 1980 and 1981 involving Bermudan registered ships, been particularly keen to stress Bermuda's responsibilities in running a shipping register. However, since Bermuda was quite unsuitable for refugee resettlement, alternatives had been found through UNHCR and through an informal arrangement with the US (though ultimate responsibility still rested with Bermuda). Hong Kong on the other hand would be a relatively suitable place for resettlement but for over-crowding and its existing burden in offering first asylum.

2. Mr Edgar pointed out that Hong Kong's refugee burden was increasing. Arrivals in July were higher than the same month in 1981 or 1980 despite the general decline in numbers of boat people. Mr Burns observed however that more important than these short term figures was the steeper decline in resettlement places (principally the tougher US criteria). While we were not in a position to assume any of Hong Kong's responsibilities for rescues by their own registered shipping, the Prime Minister might well return from the Far East at the end of the month inclined to make another contribution to Hong Kong's refugee problem and we might propose a gesture over the Poyang residue then. (We should in any case have to submit any proposals on this to Ministers.)

3.

He continued, however, that it might meanwhile be possible to look into the Hupeh as a slightly different case. The ship had landed boat people in Manila under a gaurantee from the UK on Hong Kong's behalf with only the condition that after a reasonable time any residue would go on to Hong Kong to pursue resettlement opportunities from there. But the residue of 15 were still in Manila and, unlike the 27 from the Poyang who had landed direct in Hong Kong, were at least the subject of a UK guarantee. Mr Spence

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