TNAG-1273-FCO40-1623-Vietnamese-refugees-in-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 81

2.

Ministers have given careful consideration

to what HMG can do to help Hong Kong in these

circumstances, and have concluded that we should

explore the possibility of a multilateral approach

to the Vietnamese aimed at reducing further the

outflow of boat people from Vietnam and improving

the rate of departures under the ODP. We should

also again urge resettlement countries to take

more refugees from Hong Kong.

FOR UKMIS GENEVA

3. You should approach UNHCR along the following

lines:

(a) point out the difficulties now faced by

(b)

(c)

Hong Kong

suggest that the UNHCR should point out to

the Vietnamese the difficulties caused by

the continuing outflow of refugees, and

request them that they place greater

emphasis on the ODP

urge UNHCR to pursue all possible avenues

for resettlement of refugees already in

countries of first asylum, and in 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

4.

You should make the following points with

your host governments at the appropriate level:

(a)

refer to the difficulties faced by

Kong

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