TNAG-1274-FCO40-1624-Vietnamese-refugees-in-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 153

GR 200

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG 170955Z OCT 83

TO PRIORITY HAND-I

TELEGRAM NUMBER 13 OF 17 OCTOBER

INFO FCO HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON

FROM JE AFFRESON FOR PIKE

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES

157

24371 R & Rp.

ON HKCK 243/1

R&

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

18 OCT 1333

DESK OFFICEH

INDEX

RZEBIRY

PA

Action Taken

FCO HAVE AGREED TO MY HOLDING A MEETING WITH YOU AND S-MINGTON IN HONG KONG TO DISCUSS WHETHER ANYTHING COULD BE DONE, PARTICULARLY BEHIND THE SCENES, TO MAKE AS SURE AS ONE CAN THAT, IF WE WERE TO REPATR KATE TO VIETNAM ARRIVALS WHO DO NOT (NOT) QUALIFY AS

REFUGEES UNDER THE CRATER HA APPLIED BY THE RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES,

THEY WOULD NOT (NOT) BE UNREASONABLY TREATED.

2. THE FOO'S PROVISO IS THAT QUOTE ALL CONCERNED CLEARLY

UNDERSTAND THAT FORCIBLE REPATRIATION HAS BEEN RULED OUT BY THE

SECRETARY OF STATE AND ANY RECONSIDERATION OF THIS POSITION WOULD

SE DEPENDENT AT THE VERY LEAST ON CAST IRON GUARANTEES ACCEPTABLE

TO UNHCR BENING OBTAINED FROM THE VIETNAMESE UNQUOTE. SAW SIMINGTON

LAST MONTH. PERSONALLY HE THINKS NOW IS THE TIME TO START SOUNDING

OUT THE VIETNAMESE ON THEIR ATTITUDE TO INVOLUNTARY REPATRIATION,-

PARTICULARLY AS IT MIGHT TAKE A YEAR TO GET ANY SENSE OUT OF THEM.

AGAIN SPEAKING PERSONALLY, HE THINKS THE UNHCR MAY BE 3EGINNING TO

MOVE IN THIS DIRECTION. HE WELCOMES THE PROPOSED MEETING.

3. WE SHOULD BE MOST GRATEFUL FOR YOUR HELP. SIMINGTON IS FREE

ANY TIME AFTER 10 NOVEMBER. COULD YOU POSSIBLY MANAGE TO COME

HERE SOME TIME DURING THE WEEK BEGINNING 14 NOVEMBER?

YOUDE

BOAT PEOPLE

JUMLINED

SEAD

TED

PUSD

NEWS D MAED

PS

PS/LADY YOUNG PS/MR LUCE PS/FUS

MR WRIGHT

MR GIFFARD

MR DONALD

MR ADAMS

MR URE

ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION

BOAT PEOPLE

COPIES

TO

HKGO LONDON

CONFIDENTIAL

ว

see (154)