TNAG-1424-FCO40-1907-Vietnamese-refugees-in-Hong-Kong-general-1985 — Page 118

CONFIDENTIAL

@Mr Leebok F/3

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Reference Mr Galsworthy

CALL ON MR LUCE BY AMBASSADOR EUGENE DOUGLAS, US COORDINATOR FOR REFUGEES AFFAIRS, WEDNESDAY 27 FEBRUARY, 4PM

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HMG

Mr Luce

Mr Hartland-Swann, SEAD

Mr Westmacott, PS/Mr Luce

Mr Gregory-Hood, EAD Mr Nash, SEAD

Mr Leeks, HKD

A

US Government

Ambassador Douglas Mr. Neighbour

24'31.

US Embassy

RECEIVED BALCLARY

i

: 5 MAR 1965

LUS

344

1 Ambassador Douglas accompanied by Mr Neighbour US Embassy)! called on Mr Luce and officials on 27 February at 4 pm.

Africa

Uganda

2 Ambassador Douglas said that the United States had just had a stormy 6 months in its relations with Uganda. At a recent meeting, the US Ambassador had found President Obote antagonistic and abusive. Ambassador Douglas said he planned to go to Uganda

shortly.

He commented that he was not fully in agreement with the US Government's way of producing human rights reports.

Ambassador Douglas mentioned that the Archbishop of Kampala had been helpful, and that the American Episcopal Church had a history of relief work in Uganda. He also made reference to his call on Mr Terry Waite at Lambeth Palace. Mr Luce commented that HMG thought it necessary to keep in close touch with Obote although we disagreed strongly with some of the things he was doing, such as the introduction of North Korean advisers.

South Africa

3 Ambassador Douglas said that he had recently visited South Africa where he had tried to persuade the Government to take a more sensible line on human rights. Bishop Tutu's activities were not helpful.

CODE 18-77

B SOUTH EAST ASIA AND HONG KONG

4 Mr Luce explained to Ambassador Douglas the difficult position in which HMG and the Hong Kong authorities found themselves in regard to the Vietnamese refugee problem in Hong Kong: Hong Kong had no option but to introduce closed centres in mid-1982 in order to discourage further arrivals. This policy had had some effect, but 11,800 refugees were still in camps in the Colony, half of them detained in the closed centres. HMG and Hong Kong were very grateful for what the US had done to relieve a major part of this burden. The UK had also taken its share just under 20,000 mostly from Hong Kong and the UK was continuing to accept ship rescue and family reunion cases. 80% of those taken by the UK were unemployed. HMG fully recognised its special responsibility for Hong Kong, but there was a limit to what we could do. The Home Affairs Sub-committee on Race Relations and Immigration would shortly be reporting on the Vietnamese refugee problem in Hong Kong and would hopefully make some proposals. Mr Luce asked Ambassador Douglas whether, if the UK made a modest

CONFIDENTIAL

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