TNAG-1275-FCO40-1625-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 213

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Original at: HKK 243/3@

This Copy for:

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Parats

PS/Lord Belstead

cc:

Mr Donald

CONFIDENTIAL

Mr Freeland, Legal Advisers Mr Edwards, Legal Advisers

Mr Burns, SEAD

Mr Williams,

UND

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HKK 243/2

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12 JAN1983

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HONG KONG : VIETNAMESE REFUGEES (11.30 THURSDAY 6 JANUARY 1983)

1.

Lord Belstead requested a meeting to decide the future handling of the closed camps policy. I will attend, together with the Legal Advisers (Messrs Freeland and Edwards) and representatives from UND and SEAD.

2.

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1

Lord Belstead has seen Mr Burrows minutes of 21 December 1982 (in response to Mr Arthur's minute of 20 December 1982) and 24 September 1982, (which was sent to Hong Kong under cover of my letter of 6 October 1982). The Hong Kong legal arguments are in a letter to me from the Attorney-General of 20 December 1982. Both Mr Burrows and Mr Edwards have now commented on this letter in their minutes of 23 and 31 December 1982.

3.

I have also received a letter from Mr Williamson in Hong Kong requesting that discussions be held with the Vietnamese authorities on the possibility of repatriating refugees to Vietnam, and that Lord Belstead take up with the Home Office the question of a new UK quota. This follows a meeting that Lord Belstead held with the Governor and the Secretary for Security in Hong Kong on 9 December 1982.

4.

I attach a background brief for Lord Belstead for the meeting.tomorrow. It gives the pros and cons of these interlocking issues. The recommendations are those of HKGD. Others attending the meeting will wish to comment on them.

5 January 1983

Drip

R D Clift

Hong Kong and General Department

CONFIDENTIAL