GPS 500
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 28071OZ FEB 84
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 535 OF 28 FEBRUARY 1984
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
MIPT
HK hiv
TOP COPY
HKK OZZIS
YOUR CIRCULAR DESPATCH 191/52 DATED 29 FEBRUARY 1952
CONVENTION ON STATUS OF REFUGEES.
- 7 MAR 1984
19
BEGISTRY
Action Taken
Kats حنا
I CANNOT ADVISE THAT THIS CONVENTION SHOULD BE APPLIED TO HONG KONG
AT THE PRESENT TIME.
2. I HAVE ALREADY INFORMED YOU IN OTHER CORRESPONDENCE (SEE, FOR INSTANCE, MY SECRET SAVINGRAM NO. 967 OF 15 JUNE, 1952) THAT IN
MY VIEW THE LIMITED AREA AND OTHER SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES OF THIS
TERRITORY RENDER IT NECESSARY TO REFUSE ADMISSION TO NON-CHINESE
INES
REFUGEES IN CHINA UNLESS THEY COME HERE IN TRANSIT ONLY AND HOLD
VISAS FOR OTHER DESTINATIONS. CHINESE FROM OTHER PARTS OF CHINA
THAN THOSE ADJACENT TO HONG KONG ARE SIMILARLY EXCLUDED, ALTHOUGH
A GREATER LAXITY IS PRACTISED IN THEIR CASE. I AM AWARE THAT THE
APPLICATION OF THE CONVENTION TO HONG KONG WOULD NOT NECESSARILY
COMMIT THIS GOVERNMENT TO ANY RADICAL CHANGE IN THE ABOVE POLICY:
BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IT MIGHT WEAKEN OUR POSITION AND LAY US
OPEN TO THE CHARGE THAT WE IGNORED THE SPIRIT OF THE CONVENTION
WHILST ADHERING TO THE LETTER. IN ANY EVENT, ARTICLE 31 MICHT
RESULT IN SUCH PERSONS REMAINING IN HONG KONG MORE OR LESS
INDEFINITELY ONCE THEY SUCCEEDED IN BEING SMUGGLED IN. THE GEO-
GRAPHICAL POSITION OF HONG KONG RENDERS IT A COMPARATIVELY EASY
MATTER FOR AN ILLEGAL ENTRY TO BE EFFECTED.
3. MY MAIN OBJECTION, HOWEVER, IS THE POSSIBILITY THAT LARGE NUMBERS OF CHINESE PERSONS, ALREADY IN THE COLONY, MIGHT BE ABLE
TO CLAIM SPECIAL STATUS AND TREATMENT UNDER THE CONVENTION. THE
MAJORITY OF THE POPULATION OF HONG KONG CONSISTS OF PERSONS OF
CHINESE RACE AND NATIONALITY, AND THE UNHAPPY CIRCUMSTANCES OF
CHINA TODAY MIGHT ENABLE VERY MANY OF THESE TO CLAIM TO BE
REFUGEES WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE CONVENTION. I FORESEE AT LEAST
TWO SERIOUS DISADVANTAGES WHICH MIGHT ARISE FROM SUCH A DEVELOPEMENT
AS FOLLOWS:-
(A) TO GIVE THE SAME TREATMENT IN THE SPHERE OF WELFARE SERVICES
TO 'REFUGEES'' AS TO THE HONG KONG BORN WOULD NOT BE IN ACCORDANCE
WITH THE POLICY WHICH HAS SO FAR GOVERNED THE DEVELOPMENT OF THOSE
SERVICES: WHAT WE CAN DO IN THAT FIELD IS STRICTLY LIMITED BY
AVAILABLE RESOURCES AND I BELIEVE THAT WE MUST CONTINUE TO BE FREE
TO GIVE PREFERENCES TO OUR OWN PEOPLE.
CONFIDENTIAL
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