TNAG-1273-FCO40-1623-Vietnamese-refugees-in-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 36

CONFIDENTIAL

4. THOMAS DEFENDED OUR POSITION. WE HAD OURSELVES TAKEN A VERY SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF REFUGEES FROM VIETNAM. THE PROBLEM WAS IN NO WAY OF OUR MAKING: IT WAS A GEOGRAPHICAL ACCIDENT THAT SO MANY REFUGEES FROM VIETNAM LANDED UP IN HONG KONG. HONG KONG HAD A MAJOR IMMIGRATION PROBLEM OF ITS OWN, AS DID THE UNITED KINGDOM. AS TO DOUGLAS' IDEA FOR THE LONG TERM SOLUTION THOMAS ASKED WHETHER IT REALLY WAS POSSIBLE TO MAKE MORE THAN AN INTELLECTUAL DISTINCTION BETWEEN POLITICAL REFUGEES AND ECONOMIC MIGRANTS. DOUGLAS SAID THIS WAS A MUCH DEBATED AND INSOLUBLE QUESTION. BUT THERE WERE THOSE (EG CAMBODIANS) IN MUCH WORSE STRAITS THAN THE VIETNAMESE IN HONG KONG WHOM THE US WAS HAVING TO TURN DOWN.

5. DOUGLAS UNDERSTOOD THAT THE UK, LIKE THE UNITED STATES, HAD ITS OTHER IMMIGRATION COMMITMENTS TO CONSIDER, AND HAD NOT SO FAR GIVEN REFUGEE SETTLEMENT A HIGH PRIORITY. HE MENTIONED THAT THE MAJOR INDOCHINESE REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES (US, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, FRANCE) HAD ESTABLISHED A CONSULTATIVE GROUP TO CONSIDER THE DOMESTIC PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH RESETTLEMENT.

WRIGHT

HKK 243)

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

2 4 MAY 1983

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

Action. Mela

BOAT PEOPLE

LIMITED

SEAD HK & GD

UND

FED

PUSD

NEWS D MAED

PS

PS/LORD BELSTEAD PS/PUS

MR WRIGHT

MR GIFFARD

NR DONALD MR ADAMS

MR URE

2

CONFIDENTIAL

ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION

BOAT PEOPLE