TNAG-1527-FCO40-2091-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-general-1986 — Page 252

CODE 18-77

[HK2AGE]

FA 243/508/1

CONFIDENTIAL

Mr Ehrman

Mr Galsworthy

Mr Leeks O/R

Reference..

KJ21|10

Entir

Ente

49

Mur Nash (+9

BEM

1

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG:

(SPECIAL ASSISTANT, BUREAU FOR DEPARTMENT) MONDAY, 13 OCTOBER 1985

1.

MEETING WITH MR VAN REFUGEE PROGRAMS, us

meeting, organised by

EGMOND STATE

SEAD.

I attended part of this Mr Van Egmond was visiting London on his way back to Washington from Geneva, where he had been attending the UNHCR Executive Committee meeting. He made the following points on Hong Kong.

Resettlement

2.

The

tak e more refugees but their decision

Americans welcomed our decision to from Hong Kong. They wantd to be helpful, would probably depend partly on how many refugees we were prepared to take in addition to the 500; and on Hong Kong's willingness to absorb some of the refugees. They would need more information these points before reaching a decision, and would be pressing us for details.

3.

on

A "Blue Ribbon Panel" would be visiting South East Asia, including Hong Kong in November to look into refugee problems. (I understood from Mr Van Egmond that this was to s ome extent comparable to a Parliamentary Select Committee in the UK). Their report would be unlikely to be ready before the end of the year. The US's decision on resettlement from Hong Kong might be deferred to await this.

RASRO

4.

from

In Geneva, Mr Van Egmond and UNHCR officials (Feldmann and Cooper) had discussed with Mr Woodhouse a proposal by UNHOR that Hong Kong should provide a transit centre for refugeescued at

"but sea under the RASRO scheme who had not been resettled within the maximum 90 day period specified under the scheme. (We have since

received details of

this conversation in a telex Mr Woodhouse.) The Americans were

very much

favour of idea,

we would

to encourage Hong Kong

agree to Mr Van Egmond suggested we might discuss it with Mr Woodhouse on

18 October. I said

could of

but discuss it, could not predict how the Hong Kong Government would

idea.

and hoped

we

course

in

this

it.

that I

react to the

Chùa hơnthe

O Walker (Ms) Hong Kong Department WH 312

233 3988

16 October 1985

CC Mr Nash, SEAD

Mr Wildash, UND

Mr Adams, UKMIS Geneva

CONFIDENTIAL