TNAG-1274-FCO40-1624-Vietnamese-refugees-in-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 139

TT HONG KONG

GRS 270

CONFIDENTIAL

TELELETTER

CONFIDENTIAL

HKK 243/1.

Lit:C...

31548 - 1

FROM CO HUM HKD

FILE NO 243/ YOUR REF SCR 56/4821 79 II

Cra 197

FOLLOWING FOR D G JEAFFRE SON ESQ CBE, SECRETARY FOR SECURITY,

HONG KONG

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES

1. PLEASE REFER TO MY TELELETTER TO YOU OF 4 OCTOBER.

148)

2. WE HAVE NOW RECEIVED A REPLY FROM THE HOME OFFICE ON THE

QUESTION OF A FURTHER QUOTA. THEY HAVE CONFIRMED YOUR

RECOLLECTION THAT THEY DID NOT SAY TO YOU THAT THEY WOULD CONSIDER

A FURTHER QUOTA ONLY IN THE CONTEXT OF FORCIBLE REPATRIATION.

HOWEVER THEY CONTINUE TO SEE CONSIDERABLE DIFFICULTIES IN

ACCEPTING A FURTHER QUOTA, AND HAVE NO PLANS TO DO SO AT PRESENT.

THEY SAY THEY EXPLAINED TO YOU THE BACKGROUND TO THE PROBLEMS THE

UK HAS EXPERIENCE IN ASSIMILATING VIETNAMESE REFUGEES, AND THE

PRESSURES THE HOME OFFICE FACE FROM THE APPLICATIONS FOR REFUGEE

STATUS FROM A RAPIDLY GROWING NUMBER OF DIFFERENT NATIONALITIES.

THEY DO NOT RECALL OFFERING TO TAKE THE MATTER UP WITH US.

3. I AM AFRAID THIS DOES NOT OFFER MUCH ENCOURAGEMENT FROM HONG

KONG'S POINT OF VIEW. BUT THERE ARE PERHAPS SOME GROUNDS FOR

OPTIMISM ON OTHER FRONTS. IT DOES NOW APPEAR, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT

GREATER EFFORTS WILL BE MADE BY RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES AND

PLACES OF FIRST ASYLUM TO SEARCH FOR SOLUTIONS OTHER THAN

RESETTLEMENT. IN THIS CONTEXT, WE READ WITH INTEREST PATRICK

WILLIAMSON'S REPORT OF HIS ATTENDANCE AT THE UNHCR EXCOM

MEETING IN GENEVA, AND IN PARTICULAR HIS DISCUSSION WITH THE

VIETNAMESE ON THE QUESTION OF VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION. AS RICHARD

HOARE SAID IN HIS LETTER OF 4 NOVEMBER TO CLINTON LEEKS, WE

SHALL NOW BE CONSIDERING WHAT THE NEXT STEPS MIGHT BE, AND SHALL

KEEP IN CLOSE TOUCH WITH YOU.

SIGNED CO HUM

1

CONFIDENTIAL

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