TNAG-1273-FCO40-1623-Vietnamese-refugees-in-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 75

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PARTICULAR TO URGE RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES NOT TO REJECT

APPLICANTS AS BEING ECONOMIC MIGRANTS RATHER THAN

REFUGEES: THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT IF RETURNED THEY WOULD BE SUBJECT TO PERSECUTION.

FOR PARIS, CANBERRA AND OTTAWA

YOU SHOULD MAKE THE FOLLOWING POINTS WITH YOUR HOST

GOVERNMENTS AT THE APPROPRIATE LEVEL:

4.

REFER TO THE DIFFICULTIES FACED BY HONG KONG:

(A)

(B)

(C)

SEEK THEIR VIEWS ON THE MERITS OF A JOINT APPROACH TO THE

VIETNAMESE TO POINT OUT THE DIFFICULTIES AND HUMANITARIAN

PROBLEMS CAUSED BY THE CONTINUING OUTFLOW OF REFUGEES AND

TO URGE THEM TO CONTINUE TO INCREASE THEIR EFFORTS TO

ARRANGE DEPARTURES THROUGH THE ODP:

WHILE EXPRESSING GRATITUDE FOR PAST OFFTAKE, URCE THEM TO

TAKE MORE REFUGEES FROM HONQ KONG, AND NOT TO REJECT

APPLICANTS AS BEING ECONOMIC MIGRANTS RATHER THAN

REFUGEES (SEE PARA 3(C) ABOVE).

FOR ALL

5. IF THE QUESTION OF HMG TAKING MORE REFUQEES IS RAISED YOU

SHOULD SAY THAT THE UK HAS FULFILLED ITS COMMITMENT MADE AT THE

1979 GENEVA CONFERENCE, AND THERE IS NO PROSPECT OF A FURTHER

QUOTA. UK HAS NOT BEEN A POPULAR RESETTLEMENT DESTINATION AND

RESETTLEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL. HOWEVER, HMG WILL CONTINUE

TO ACCEPT SHIP RESCUE AND CLOSE FAMILY REUNION CASES, AS WELL AS

ITS OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE ODP.

6.

SEPARATE INSTRUCTIONS ARE BEING SENT TO WASHINGTON IN VIEW

OF THE KEY ROLE OF THE US GOVERNMENT. ANY FURTHER IDEAS THAT

HONG KONG MAY HAVE WOULD BE WELCOME.

PYM

BOAT PEOPLE

LIMITED

SEAD

PS

ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION

PS/LORD BELSTEAD PS/PUS

BOAT PEOPLE

HK & GD

UND

FED

PUSD

NEWS D MAED

MR WRIGHT

MR GIFFARD MR DONALD MR ADAMS MR URE

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