TNAG-1427-FCO40-1910-Vietnamese-refugees-in-Hong-Kong-general-1986 — Page 155

ZSYNZ

(START CM)6

116 OCTOBER 1985

GAG139

от

Other Elystian before calyfonky

© Mr Leeby ole

3

291

C My Pl copy to Mr Nash JEAD Epa A. 243/5

тора

FOR GEORGE HO FROM GENEVA (WOO) FOLLOWING FOR JEAFFRESON, S FOR S FROM WOODHOUSE IN GENEVA (RPTD. HKGO IN BRU, WAS, NY AND LDN (COPY FOR LEEKS IN FCO) AND C.C. ADAMS IN UKMIS GENEVA)

CONFIDENTIAL

UNHCR EXCOM: VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION

IN THE DEBATE ON ASSISTANCE, WHICH INCLUDED RESETTLEMENT 9 THE AMERICANS, AUSTRALIANS AND CANADIANS SAID IN THEIR INTER- VENTIONS THAT RESETTLEMENT WAS NOT A SOLUTION TO THE REFUGEE PROBLEM. THEY ADVOCATED REPATRIATION. THEY WERE PUBLICLY REPEATING WHAT EACH HAD SAID PRIVATELY TO ME.

2.

THERE MAY HAVE BEEN OTHER INTERVENTIONS WHICH MADE THE SAME POINT BUT WE SHALL HAVE TO AWAIT THE FINAL REPORT TO BE SURE. UKMIS GENEVA WILL, I AM SURE, FORWARD THE AGREED VERSION WHEN AVAILABLE. HOWEVER, THERE APPEARS TO BE A STRONG FEELING HERE THAT VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION SHOULD BE PURSUED MORE VIGOROUSLY. THERE HAVE BEEN CALLS FOR THE RE-INSTATEMENT OF THE SOUTH EAST ASIAN CO-ORDINATOR POST TO DO THIS, AMONGST OTHER THINGS.

AW17,0

3.

I HAVE SPOKEN TO THE AMERICANS AND CANADIANS AND EXPLAINED HOW IMPRACTICABLE VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION IS FOR HONG KONG. WE HAVE FEW WHO WISH TO RETURN TO VIETNAM AND THE AUTHORITIES THERE DO NOT MAKE THINGS EASY (I CITED OUR PRESENT CASELOAD WHICH. HAS BEEN STATIC FOR SOME TIME). I ARGUED THAT RESETTLEMENT WAS THE ONLY SOLUTION FOR HONG KONG AT THIS STAGE.

4. MY GUESS IS THAT THIS EMPHASIS ON REPATRIATION IS TO SUPPORT THE THAI SCHEME NEVERTHELESS, I THINK THAT WE SHOULD

(A)

(B)

(C)

AGREE THAT IT IS THE BEST SOLUTION SEMI-COLON

POINT OUT HOW IT CANNOT WORK IN HONG KONG SEMI- COLON AND

THEREFORE, STRESS THE NEED FOR RESETTLEMENT UNTIL REPATRIATION DOES BECOME A VIABLE PROPOSITION FOR HÙNG HỒNG,

1

F

ENDS

JJJ

(END CM)

CONFIDENTIAL

(STORED 16-OCT-85 10:28GMT)

28404 HKGOVT G

28880 HKEV CH

16-OCT-85 11:33GMT

+ICK 243/5

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY 2 10CT 1985

LEGISTRY

DESK OF: ICAN

INDEX

PA

Action Taken