TNAG-1273-FCO40-1623-Vietnamese-refugees-in-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 26

XI

R

INE TO TAKE

1. NO OPPORTUNITY SHOULD NOW BE LOST TO EMPHASISE TO THE GOVERNMENTS

WHICH THE LONDON, BRUSSELS, GENEVA AND NEW YORK OFFICES HAVE DEALINGS, HONG KONG'S DIFFICULTIES WHICH HAVE ARISEN FROM ITS

HUMANE POLICY OF NOT TURNING BOATS AWAY, AND TO TRY TO PERSUADE

RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES TO TAKE CONSIDERABLY MORE REFUGEES FROM

HONG KONG PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A LONG TIME

(4,608 HAVE BEEN IN HONG KONG FOR MORE THAN TWO YEARS).

2. YOU SHOULD DRAW FREELY ON THE INFORMATION IN THE PRECEDING

PARAGRAPHS, EXCEPT THAT THE POINTS IN SQUARE BRACKETS NEED TO BE

USED WITH GREAT CARE. THE ARGUMENT THAT CURRENT ARRIVALS ARE

PEASANTS IS A VALID ONE FOR REPATRIATION BUT NOT A STRONG ONE

FOR RESETTLEMENT. ALSO, THE NEWS THAT THE AMERICANS HAVE TIGHTENED

SUBSTANTIALLY THEIR CRITERIA WILL TEND TO DISCOURAGE OTHER RESETTLE-

MENT COUNTRIES WHICH FOLLOW THE US LEAD.

3. IN ANSWER TO QUESTIONS, YOU CAN ALSO STATE THAT EVERY ASSISTANCE

IS GIVEN TO NEW ARRIVALS; IF THEY WISH TO CONTINUE WITH THEIR

JOURNEY OR GO BACK TO VIETNAM. IF THEY DECIDE TO STAY, IN AN

ATTEMPT TO DETER OTHERS FROM COMING, THEY ARE DETAINED IN CLOSED

CENTRES BUT ARE TREATED IN ACCORDANCE WITH HONG KONG LAW AND THE

UN CONVENTION AND PROTOCOL ON REFUGEES.

1 4. HONG KONG JUST CANNOT CONTINUE TO ACCEPT MORE REFUGEES INTO

ITS OWN COMMUNITY, GIVEN ITS OWN POPULATION PRESSURE AND ITS SMALL

SIZE. NOR, FOR SIMILAR REASONS, CAN IT CONTINUE TO ACT AS A PLACE

OF FIRST ASYLUM UNLESS IT CAN BE SURE THAT THE REFUGEES WILL BE

RESETTLED ELSEWHERE.

SIGNED:

A.K. MASON

CCN: PARA 8

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