TNAG-1273-FCO40-1623-Vietnamese-refugees-in-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 157

CONFIDENTIAL

RECORD OF A MEETING BETWEEN LORD BELSTEAD AND SIR EDWARD YOUDE GCMG MBE, GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG ON 28 JANUARY 1983

Present

The Rt Hon Lord Belstead

Mr A E Donald CMG

Mr R D Clift, HKGD

Sir E Youde GCMG MBE MrG A Higginson

Mr R J F Hoare, HKGD

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Mr M A Arthur

Sir I Sinclair KCMG QC

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Mr C J Howells, NTD

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Mr F H Brown OBE,

NTD

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Mr RJ Codrington, SED Mr C M J Segar, SEAD

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7.

Lord Belstead said that his recent visit to Hong Kong had enabled him to appreciate the seriousness of the problem. He had subsequently reported to the Secretary of State on the closed camp legislation, recommending that HMG should support the policy, subject to the camp rules being revised to meet human rights objections. HMG were also considering whether anything further could be done to accept more refugees into the UK. Repatriation, however, posed difficulties and its acceptability would depend entirely on whether any satisfactory guarantees could be obtained from the Vietnamese about the treatment of those repatriated. He stressed the importance of Hong Kong's policy continuing to enjoy support from the UNHCR.

8.

Sir E Youde said that he fully understood HMG's position. However, it was important that people in Hong Kong should realise that every possible avenue was being tried. He thought that the news that the Hong Kong Government was considering repatriation would in itself be a deterrent to potential refugees. He agreed that HMG should take the lead and approach the Vietnamese authorities through HMA Hanoi. He was sure that the Executive Council would accept that this was a real attempt to help Hong Kong.

6.

Sir E Youde outlined the difficult position in which Hong Kong now found itself. Refugees were still arriving from Vietnam but it was becoming increasingly difficult to obtain resettlement places for them. Hong Kong had introduced the closed camps policy as a deterrent but the camps were filling up rapidly. Local opinion was asking why Hong Kong took in Vietnamese refugees when illegal immigrants from China were repatriated, and he expected that pressure would build up for the Government to take stronger action. Moreover, the situation in the camps would deteriorate if refugees were kept there for a long period without hope of resettlement. It was, therefore, important to try to stop the refugees coming and the Hong Kong Government had proposed that discussions be held with the Vietnamese authorities about repatriation. He wished also to record the hope that HMG would be able to do more to take refugees into the UK.

Original at: HKKо27/2

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CONFIDENTIAL