GRS 258
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM GEORGETOWN 06183OZ MAY 83
TO ROUTINE HONG KONG
2
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1 OF 6 MAY
HKK 243/2
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
COMAY 233
63
seepy
OFFIC
AF 1015
PA-445 2443/2
INFO FCO
YOUR TELNO 01 TO ASUNCION:
REFUGEES IN SOUTH AMERICA
1.
(49)
POSSIBLE RESETTLEMENT OF VIETNAMESE
I DO NOT THINK THAT A VISIT BE STUMPF TO EITHER GUYANA OR
ALTHOUGH BOTH COUNTRIES SURINAME WOULD SERVE ANY USEFUL PURPOSE.
ARE UNDER-POPULATED, I DO NOT THINK THAT EITHER WOULD BE WILLING TO TAKE REFUGEES AT THIS TIME. THE REASONS ARE:-
(1) GUYANA IS BANKRUPT. ANY INFLOW OF REFUGEES, EVEN IF FINANCIALLY SUPPORTED, WOULD ADD TO THE BURDENS PLACED ON AN ALREADY HIGHLY PRECARIOUS ECONOMY. WHEN WE ASKED AN OFFICIAL IN THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS UNOFFICIALLY HOW HE WOULD REACT TO ANY FORMAL APPROACH ABOUT A VISIT, HE MADE THE POINT THAT AFTER THE JONESTOWN TRAGEDY, WHICH THE GUYANESE REGARD AS HAVING BEEN A REFUGEE MATTER, GUYANA WOULD BE UNWILLING TO ACCEPT ANY FURTHER GROUP.
(1) SURINAME, WHERE THERE HAVE BEEN SUCCESSIVE COUPS SINCE THE REVOLUTION OF 1980, AND WHICH IS NOW IN A POLITICALLY HIGHLY VOLATILE STATE AND WHICH MOREOVER ALREADY AS A POPULATION WITH TOO MANY RACIAL GROUPS FOR ITS OWN GOOD, IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY TO SITUATION THERE ACCEPT ANY NEW GROUP. MOREOVER, THE ECONOMIC
IS ALSO DETERIORATING RAPIDLY.
(M) NEVERTHELESS THERE HAS BEEN A TRICKLE OF IMMIGRATION BY BOTH HONG KONG AND MAINLAND CHINESE INTO BOTH SURINAME AND GUYANA IN RECENT YEARS. THIS HAS BEEN NEITHER ENCOURAGED NOR DISCOURAGED BY THE TWO GOVERNMENTS. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT PROVIDED THE VIETNAMESE HAD SUITABLE DOCUMENTATION AND FUNDS THAT A VERY FHWCO OF THEM WOULD BE ABLE TO ENTER AS INDIVIDUALS EITHER OR BOTH COUNTRIES. ANY ORGANISED GROUP WOULD HOWEVER BE TGRNED AWAY.
SLATCHER
BOAT PEOPLE
LIMITED
SEAD
PS
PS/LORD BELSTEAD PS/PUS
ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION
BOAT PEOPLE
THIS TELEGRAM
WAS NOT
ADVANCED
HK & GD
UND
FED
PUSD
NEWS D MAED
MR WRIGHT
MR GIFFARD
MR DONALD MR ADAMS MR URE
CONFIDENTIAL
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