TNAG-1420-FCO40-1903-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-Sub-Committee-on-Race-Relations-and--1985 — Page 8

CODE 18-77

[HK 2AGE]

Reference..

CONFIDENTIAL

Pu SCORRY

276)

Mr Ehrman

Mr Galsworthy

Mr Leeks R

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG: (SPECIAL ASSISTANT, BUREAU FOR DEPARTMENT) MONDAY, 13 OCTOBER 1985

1.

MEETING WITH MR VAN REFUGEE PROGRAMS,

EGMOND

us

STATE

I attended part of this meeting, organised by SEAD. Mr Van Egmond was visiting London

on his way back to Washington from Geneva, where he had been attending the UNHCR Executive Committee meeting. He made the following points on Hong Kong.

Resettlement

2.

The Americans welcomed our decision to tak e more refugees from Hong Kong. They wantd to be helpful, but their decision would probably depend partly on how many refugees we were prepared

take in addition to the 500; and on Hong Kong's willingness to absorb some

some of the refugees. They would need more information on these points before reaching a decision, and would be pressing us for details.

3.

to

A "Blue Ribbon Panel" would be visiting South East Asia, including Hong Kong in November to look into refugee problems. (I understood from Mr Van Egmond that this was to s ome extent comparable to a Parliamentary Select Committee in the UK). Their report would be unlikely to be ready before the end of the year. The US' s decision on resettlement from Hong Kong might be deferred to await this.

RASRO

4.

'but'

refugby

In Geneva, Mr Van Egmond and UNHCR officials (Feldmann and Cooper) had discussed with Mr Woodhouse a proposal

a proposal by UNHCR that Hong Kong should provide a transit centre for refugees rescued at sea under the RASRO scheme who had not been resettled within the maximum 90 day period specified under the scheme. (We have since received details of this conversation in a telex

from Mr Woodhouse.) The Americans were very much in favour of this

idea, and hoped we would encourage Hong Kong to agree

it. Mr Van Egmond suggested we might discuss it with Mr Woodhouse on 18 October. I said we could of course discuss it, but that I could not predict how the Hong Kong Government would react to the idea.

16 October 1985

Chria Witha

O Walker (Ms) Hong Kong Department WH 312

233 3988

to

CC

Mr Nash, SEAD

Mr Wildash, UND

Mr Adams, UKMIS Geneva

CONFIDENTIAL

нкк. 243/2

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

16 OCT 1985

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

REGISTRY Action Taken