TNAG-1422-FCO40-1905-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-Sub-Committee-on-Race-Relations-and--1986 — Page 137

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

London SW1A 2AH

(2491)

(434)

25 November 1985

Mr J A Benson

Australian High Commission

Australia House

Strand

WC2B 4LA

FA 243154812

LIKK 243/2

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

02 DEC 1985

383

Dear Jelley.

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

REGISTRY

Action Taken

Thank you for your letter of 5 November about the Australian Government's welcome decision to increase its intake of Vietnamese refugees from Hong Kong. We are very grateful. May we ask that your authorities liaise direct with the Hong Kong Government and the UNHCR about the arrangements for resettling the refugees concerned?

In expressing our thanks, let me assure you that we well understand and have taken careful note of the points you raise in your letter regarding your Government's decision. If a specific refugee case should arise where Australia was to seek British cooperation on a reciprocal basis, we would of course, look at it carefully on its merits.

You refer to the question of voluntary repatriation of Indo-Chinese refugees in Hong Kong. We share your views on the merits of this course of action but as you may know our experience to date has not been encouraging. Few Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong have volunteered to be repatriated. Of the four who have, since 1983, the Vietnamese authorities have not replied in respect of three, despite repeated reminders by the UNHCR. They have recently rejected the fourth without explanation. But we shall continue to keep to possibilities for voluntary repatriation under close study.

Jouer sincerely,

JD N Hartland-Swann

Что

Julian Kan

South East Asian Department