TNAG-1293-FCO40-1645-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-the-United-Nations-1984 — Page 20

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FM HONG KONG 280705Z FEB 34

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 534 OF 28 FEBRUARY 1984

INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON

YOUR TELNO 359 OF 27 FEBRUARY: INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS ON

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HUMAN RIGHTS AND REFUGEES

PQ'S BY ROBERT PARRY MP

1. OUR FILES SHOW THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES

INFORMED ALL COLONIES BY CIRCULAR DESPATCH NO. 191/52 DATED 29 FEBRUARY 1952 (CO REF 14823/H/PART 111) OF HMG'S SIGNATURE OF THE CONVENTION RELATING TO THE STATUS OF REFUGEES. THE DESPATCH ADVISED THE COLONIES THAT THE CONVENTION BY ITS OWN

TERMS DID NOT (NOT) APPLY TO ANY COLONY OF A CONTRACTING STATE

UNLESS THAT STATE DECLARED THAT IT DID SO APPLY. BY SAVINGRAM NO. 1028 DATED 27 JUNE 1952 THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG RECOMMENDED THAT HONG KONG BE EXCLUDED FROM THE CONVENTION'S APPLICATION.

THE GROUNDS FOR THIS RECOMMENDATION DERIVED FROM THE CONTINUED

THREAT TO HONG KONG POSED BY MASS ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA, AND THE VERY LARGE NUMBERS OF IMMIGRANTS ALREADY HERE WHO MIGHT

OTHERWISE BE ABLE TO CLAIM 'REFUGEE STATUS UNDER THE NEW CON-

VENTION.

2. WE HAVE NOT SO FAR LOCATED ANY PAPERS ON THE 1967 PROTOCOL, BUT ASSUME THE DECISION NOT TO EXTEND THIS AGREEMENT TO HONG KONG

WAS BASED ON THE SAME CONSIDERATIONS AS THOSE THAT APPLIED IN 1952.

3. TEXT OF SAVINGRAM NO. 1028 IN MIFT.

YOUDE

MINIMAL

HKD

UND

NTD

COPIES TO:

MRS. MORPHET RES.D. MR. EDWARDS

MR. BURROWS!

LEGAL ADVS

H.K. GOVT. OFFICE - LONDON

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