TNAG-1421-FCO40-1904-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-Sub-Committee-on-Race-Relations-and--1985 — Page 149

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DAZ14 10.51

28404 HKGOVT G "EY+80272669+HX04

2669 HAB HXW

72669 HAB HX

28404 HKGOVT G

HKGO 4343/LM 827

18 OCTOBER 1985

FOR: JEAFFRESON, SECRETARY FOR SECURITY FROM: WOODHOUSE IN LONDON

МКК 243/2

RECE

be the new AY

22 CT P85

REGISTRY

INDEX

PA

Action Taken

(CC TO: HKG OFFICES IN NY, WAS, BRU (PLS COPY TO COLTMAN), GENEVA (PLS COPY TO ADAMS AT UKMIS) AND TO LEEKS AT FCO)

MEETING IN BRUSSELS WITH BELGIAN OFFICIALS

ACCOMPANIED BY FRENCH, FROM THE BRUSSELS OFFICE, AND LEYCESTER COLTMAN, HEAD OF CHANCERY, BRITISH EMBASSY, BRUSSELS, I CALLED ON HENRI BEYENS FROM THE BELGIAN MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND J. DESY WHO DEALS WITH REFUGEES ON 17 OCTOBER.

2.

BEYENS SAID THAT HIS GOVT HAD STUDIES CAREFULLY THE NOTE PRESENTED BY THE AMBASSADOR FOLLOWING THE PUBLICATION OF THE WHITE PAPER. HE WAS SORRY BUT THE GOVT HAD NO FUNDS TO SUBSIDISE NGO'S WHO DEAL WITH REFUGEES WHEN THEY COME TO BELGIUM. HE EXPLAINED THAT BELGIUM HAD 500,000 UNEMPLOYED AND IT WAS FEARED THAT FOREIGNERS SHOWED SIGNS OF BECOMING A POLITICAL ISSUE. ACCORDINGLY, HE WAS. SORRY, BUT THE BELGIAN GOVT WAS UNABLE TO HELP HONG KONG.

3. HE DID ADMIT THAT HIS GOVT WOULD CONTINUE TO ACCEPT FAMILY REUNION CASES. IT WOULD ALSO CONSIDER A LIMITED NUMBER OF OTHER CASES WITH NO FAMILY CONNECTION IN BELGIUM AND AT THE DISCRETION OF THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE.

4. I BRIEFLY EXPLAINED THAT HONG KONG MERITED SPECIAL ATTENTION BECAUSE OF OUR NUMBERS AND LONG STAYERS. I EXPLAINED, IN GENERAL TERMS, THE RESULTS OF MY RECENT LOBBYING. I ASKED HIM ABOUT THE CRITERIA USED FOR THE NON-FAMILY REUNION CASES.

=;

I SAID THAT THERE WERE 29 REFUGEES WAITING IN HONG KONG WHO HAD CLOSE FAMILY RELATIVES IN BELGIUM. WHEN PRESSED BY BEYENS, I SAID THAT WE WOULD WELCOME A RESPONSE FROM BELGIUM ALONG THE LINES OF ITS PREVIOUS OFFTAKE. THIS WOULD MEAN A FIGURE OF 40-50, BUT I SAID THAT 29 COULD BE FAMILY REUNION CASES.

b.

BEYENS SEEMED TO ACCEPT THIS AS A POSSIBILITY AND SAID THAT HE WOULD SEEK THE VIEWS OF HIS SUPERIORS. HE SYMPATHISED WITH HONG KONG AND WOULD DO WHAT HE COULD.

7. I SUGGEST THAT WE PURSUE THIS MATTER WITH THE BELGIAN CG IN HONG KONG AND WITH BEYENS IN BRUSSELS.

NNNN &

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HKGOVT G

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