TNAG-1274-FCO40-1624-Vietnamese-refugees-in-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 278

HKK 243/1

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

27 JUN 1983

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

KAUSTOY

PA

Action Taken

CONFIDENTIAL

11

1

DD 230100Z HONG KONG

GRS 218

CONFIDENTIAL ·

DESKBY 230100Z

FM FCO 221649Z JUN 83

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 552 OF 22 JUNE

PA

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FOR MASON: YOUR TELNO 832: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG

1 WE ARE WORRIED THAT AS IT NOW READS THIS GUIDANCE ASKS HONG

KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICES TO DRAW FREELY ON THE LAST PARAGRAPH OF BACKGROUND (MULTILATERAL APPROACH TO VIETNAM), WHICH IS IN ANY CASE NOW OUT OF DATE.

2 IT SHOULD REALLY BE FOR UK MISSIONS TO EXPLAIN HMG'S

INTENTIONS. IN THIS INSTANCE, ANYWAY, THE APPROACHES HAVE, YOU KNOW, NOW BEEN MADE AND WE ARE CONSIDERING THE RESPONSES.

IT WOULD BE WRONG FOR HKGO'S TO GIVE THE IMPRESSION THAT A

MULTILATERAL APPROACH WAS IMMINENT.

3 IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES WE WOULD PREFER THE PARAGRAPH TO BE

PLACED IN SQUARE BRACKETS AND TO READ:-

-

AS

'FOR YOUR OWN INFORMATION, HMG HAS BEEN CONSIDERING WITH RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES (IN WASHINGTON, OTTAWA, CANBERRA AND PARIS), AND WITH UNHCR IN GENEVA, THE POSSIBILITY OF A MULTI-

LATERAL APPROACH TO THE VIETNAMESE AIMED AT REDUCING THE OUTFLOW

FROM VIETNAM AND IMPROVING THE RATE OF DEPARTURE UNDER THE

ORDERLY DEPARTURE PROGRAMME. RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES HAVE ALSO

AGAIN BEEN URGED TO TAKE MORE REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG. IN THE

LIGHT OF THESE APPROACHES CAREFUL CONSIDERATION IS NOW BEING

GIVEN TO THE NEXT STEP'.

4

APOLOGIES FOR NOT SPOTTING THIS PROBLEM AT DRAFTING STAGE.

HOWE

BOAT PEOPLE

LIMITED

SEAD

HKD

UND

FED

PUSD

PS/LADY YOUNG PS/MR LUCE FS/PUS

MR WRIGHT

MR GIFFARD

ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION

BOAT PEOPLE

NEWS D MAED PS

MR DONALD

MR ADAMS

MR URE

CONFIDENTIAL

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