RESTRICTED
GRS 250
RESTRICTED
FM UKMIS GENEVA 041255Z JUN 25
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TEL NO 219 OF 04 JUNE
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG
YOUR TELNO 138: VISIT OF MR HARTLING TO LONDON: 5 JUNE
paz43/5.
1. IN THE SECTION DEALING WITH SOUTH EAST ASIA IN HIS STATEMENT TODAY (4 JUNE) TO THE INFORMAL MEETING OF UNHCR'S EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, MR HARTLING SAID:-
SINCERELY HOPE THAT FURTHER EFFORTS CAN BE MADE ON RESETTLEMENT, PARTICULARLY FOR THOSE WITH EXTENDED FAMILY TIES TO REFUGEES ALREADY ABROAD, AND THOSE WHOM I CONSIDER TO BE HANDICAPPED, NOT PHSICALLY, BUT BECAUSE OF THE DEGRADING AND DEBILITATING EFFECT THAT YEARS OF CAMP LIFE HAS ON A HUMAN BEING. SOME HAVE BEEN IN CAMPS FOR THREE, FOUR, FIVE YEARS OR EVEN LONGER. I WAS ABLE TO SEE THIS WITH MY OWN EYES LESS THAN THREE WEEKS AGO WHEN I WAS IN HONG KONG, BUT THE SAME IS TRUE IN OTHER COUNTRIES OF FIRST ASYLUM IN THE REGION. TOMORROW | AM GOING TO LONDON TO DISCUSS THE HONG KONG SITUATION AND THE PLIGHT OF THE LONG-STAYERS WITH THE BRITISH AUTHORITIES. I AM HOPEFUL THAT A NEW INITIATIVE AS PROPOSED BY THE HOME AFFAIRS COMMITTEE OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS COULD SET AN EXAMPLE THAT OTHER RESETTLE- MENT COUNTRIES, WHICH HAVE ALREADY TAKEN CONSIDERABLE NUMBERS FROM HONG KONG, COULD FOLLOW IN AN EFFORT TO GRADUALLY REDUCE THE TIME REFUGEES SPEND IN BOTH OPEN AND CLOSED CAMPS
THERE.
2. HR HARTLING ALSO INCLUDED IN HIS STATEMENT A BALANCED SUMMARY OF THE OUTCOME OF THE MEETING ON ASYLUM SEEKERS AND REFUGEES
IN EUROPE HELD IN GENEVA LAST WEEK. THERE WAS NO REFERENCE TO TAMILS.
WARBURTON
BOAT PEOPLE
LIMITED
SEAD
HKD
ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION
PS/LADY YOUNG PS/MR LUCE
BOAT PEOPLE
מענט
FED
PS/PUS
MR GOODALL
NEWS D MAED PS
MR O'NEILL
MR WILSON
SIR W HARDING
RESTRICTED
ник 24315
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
06 JUN 1985
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
REGISTRY
PA
Action Taken
он
215
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