TNAG-1421-FCO40-1904-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-Sub-Committee-on-Race-Relations-and--1985 — Page 33

DSR 11 (Revised)

DRAFT: xinute/letter/telelotter/espatch note

FROM:

Dr Carter

DEPARTMENT:

TEL. NO:

TYPE: Draft/Final 1+

Reference

くく

4KK 243

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

18 NOV:985

392

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

TO:

Top Secret

Secret

Confidential

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PRIVACY MARKING

......In Confidence

CAVEAT.........

383

J A Benson Esq

Australian High Commission

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

our Reference

le

Copies to:

RECISTRY

Action Taken

SUBJECT:

Thank you for your letter of 5 November about the

Australian Government's decision to increase its intake

of Vietnames refugees from Hong Kong.

k

Com Mr. Leet & HK.)

comments

Ayay

Ау

9

We are very grateful to the Australian Government for

this decision. Your authorities will no doubt be in

touch with the Hong Kong Government and the UNHCR

about the arrangements for resettling the refugees

concerned.

S.T. NAM

Enclosures-flag(s)...........

We take note also of the points made in your paragraph 2.

We

We realise that Australia has been generous in

resettling some 5,000 refugees from Hong Kong since

1975. We understand also that your recent decision

does not necessarily imply any future commitment.

will continue would however hope that you would consider to bear in

mind Hong Kong's predicament. Your reference to

voluntary repatriation was welcome.

interesting

We would ideally

proceed with such a programme if there were volunteers

for returning to Vietnam, and if the Vietnamese Government

were prepared to co-operate.

Unfortunately to date on