TNAG-1277-FCO40-1627-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 174

HOF0043/04

GR 350

RESTRICTED

TELELETTER

Mrr segar has Prugned with

Home Aterno success.

He has drafter,

fel to HK,

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ar withs 8/11

Mis Wother

Discuss alt Mr. Seger

We wead to reply by 8/11 ot leter. It is of up to ite Home office!

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FROM C E LECKS SECURITY BRANCH GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT HONG KONG

FILE REF: SRD 405/1/C# DATED 4 NOVEMBER 1993

HKK 243/2

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

(177)

FOLLOWING FOR C M J SEGAR SEAD FCO

COPIED TO R J F HOARE/HKD ACO

- 9 NOV 1983

DESK OFFICER INCEX

PA

REGISTRY

Action Taken

N

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG: LIVERPOOL BAY AND PO YAUNG

1. FURTHER TO MY LETTER OF 26 OCTOBER, USCG HAS NOW ADVISED THAT THEY WILL AGREE TO TAKE THE FOUR CASES FROM THE QUOTE LIVERPOOL BAY UNQUOTE WHOSE DEPARTURE TO UK ON 10 OCTOBER 1963 WAS DEFERRED.

2. SEPARATELY, WE HAVE ANOTHER SO-CALLED QUOTE RESSETTLEMENT MEETING UNOUGTE ORGANISED BY THE UNHCR HERE ON 9 NOVEMBER. CONSULAR REPRESENTATIVES OF ALL CURRENT AND POTENTIAL RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES WILL AS USUAL BE PRESENT. WE SHALL INTER ALPA REVIEW HONG KONG'S BLEAK WESETTLEMENT PROSPECTS, AND WORK THROUGH OUTSTANDING SHIP RESCUL CASES ONE BY ONE.

3. WE ARE ALL AWARE OF THE INCREASING EMBARRASSMENT CAUSED BY THE RESIDUALS FROM THE MV PO YAUNG. THERE ARE 105 SHIP RESCUE CASES STILL IN HONG KONG, OF WHOM 16 HAVE BEEN HERE SINCE AT LEAST 31 DECEMBER 1981. TEN OF THESE ARE FROM THE BRITISH REGISTERED PO YANG. IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO RECAPITULATE THE PAINFUL STORY OF THESE CASES, BUT THE MEETHING ON 9 NOVEMBER IS SURE TO FOCUS ON THEM YET AGAIN AND ASK THE HONG KONG REPRESENTATIVES IF UK WILL TAKE THEM.

4. WE SHALL BE ABLE TO REPORT THAT THE AUSTRALIANS ARE NOW (SOMEWHAT OUT OF THE BLUE) CONSIDERING SIX OF THE TEN FOR RESETTLEMENT.

IF WE WERE ABLE TO REPORT THAT UK WAS CONSIDERING TAKING THE OTHER FOUR, IN ORDER TO RESOLVE FINALLY THIS SMALL BUT LONG-STANDING PROBLEM, THERE WOULD CERTAINLY BE SOME GENERAL GRATITUDE TOWARDS UK AND A MORE POSITIVE ATTITUDE TOWARDS HONG KONG'S PROBLEMS BY OTHER REPRESENTATIVES.

5. WE ARC RAISING THIS WITH YOU NOW BECAUSE THERE MAY BE AN OPPORTUNITY PRESENTED BY THE FOUR VACANT PLACES GUARANTEED FOR THE LIVERPOOL BAY CASES WHO HAVE NOW GONE TO THE USA. WC APPRECIATE THE DANGER OF CREATING A PRECEDENT IN SUCH MATTERS AND WOULD NOT (NOT) MAKE ANY REFERENCE TO THIS PART OF THE ARRANGEMENT IN OUR ADVICE TO UNHCR.

6. CAN YOU OFFER US ANY HOPE THAT THIS SOLUTION COULD BE PURSUED7

7. SEAD RECISTRY PLEASE PASS TO R J F HOARE HKD

SIGNED C E LEEKS

NNNN