85-10-17
12:53
78404 HKGOVT Gr 28404 HKGOVT G 931BROADCAST B 61750 HONREP B
4 RTT REF NR 03 183 290
17.10.85
B754
FOR JEAFFRESON, SOS, HONG KONG
FROM: WOODHOUSE, BRUSSELS OFFICE
(RPTD: NEW YORK, WASHINGTON. GENEVA (PLEASE COPY TO ADAMS AT
UKMIS), LONDON (PLEASE COPY TO LEEKS AT FCO), PARIS (GRAHAM FRY)
BRITISH EMBASSY
MEETING IN PARIS WITH MARCHAND, FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTRY
1. FRY
ACCOMPANIED BY NIGEL FRENCH (HKG OFFICE, BRUSSELS) AND GRAHAM (FIRST SECRETARY, BRITISH EMBASSY) I CALLED ON M MARCHAND (A MEMBER OF FOREIGN MINISTER DUMAS' CABINET),
2.
I EXPLAINED HONG KONG'S PROBLES
AND THE BRITISH INITIATIVE.
I SAID THAT I HAD BEEN LOBBYING FOR INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT AT EXCOM IN GENEVA. I SAID THAT I HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO SPEAK TO MME MAUROY IN GENEVA BUT HAD SPOKEN BRIEFLY TO JACQUES WARIN.
3.
MARCHAND WAS SYMPATHETIC BUT SAID THAT FRANCE HAD PROBLEMS WITH REFUGEES. HE SAID THAT HE WAS RE-EXAMINING ALL THE PREVIOUS SUBMISSIONS BUT THOUGHT THAT EITHER FAMILY REUNION CASES OR FRENCH SPEAKERS WERE THE MOST LIKELY TO BE ACCEPTED.
4.
I EXPLAINED THAT THERE WERE 90 REFUGEES IN HONG KONG WITH CLOSE FAMILY IN FRANCE AND 46 FRENCH SPEAKERS. HE SAID THAT HE
SAID THAT FRANCE WOULD BE WILLING TO EXAMINE THESE CASES. HE WOULD ALSO CONSIDER TAKING UNACCOMPANIED MINORS. I OFFERED TO
THROUGH PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION ON ALL OF THESE CATEGORIES WHATEVER CHANNEL HE WANTED. HE SAID THAT HE WOULD LET ME KNOW BUT THE NUMBERS WHICH FRANCE COULD TAKE WOULD BE VERY SMALL.
5. MARCHAND WAS MORE ENCOURAGING THAN I HAD EXPECTED AND I THINK THAT WE SHOULD FOLLOW UP ON THIS GENTLY. I WILL ASK THE UNHCR HONG KONG TO PRODUCE SOME INFORMATION WHICH WE CAN EITHER PASS TO MARCHAND THROUGH FRY IN PARIS OR THROUGH THE UNHCR IN PARIS, TACTICS CAN BEN SORTED OUT LATER, BUT WE MUST KEEP HIS INTEREST.
+H+
28404
HKGOVT G 981BROADCAST B
I
I
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.