TNAG-1527-FCO40-2091-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-general-1986 — Page 71

30 APR 1986

HMM 243/3

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

Ben

布政司署

港下亞畢道

本署檔號 OUR REF:

SRD 404/1/C

來函檔號 YOUR REF:

HKK 243/3

Mr C. E. Leeks,

Hong Kong Department,

Foreign and Commonwealth Office,

London, SW1A 2AH.

Dear Clinton,

80

GOVERNMENT SECRETARIÁT

LOWER ALBERT ROAD

HONG KONG

21 April 1986

love

And centon dore *MW Narly

૧ ૨ so

SEMO

copy

2pIR HR WILL

24/4

Ex-China Cases and Voluntary Departure Cases

20

Thank you for your letter of 10 April 1986. am grateful for your comments and those of Stephen Nash.

I

Having spoken to the UNHCR representative in Manila, Greg Beyer, and the representatives of the Philippine Government who were then responsible for refugee matters, I agree that it is going to be difficult to repatriate ex- China cases from the Philippines. I realise that you were referring mainly to the physical difficulties, but it seems clear that the necessary will to repatriate these ex-China

es does not exist in the Philippines.

To answer your question, I discussed the proposal in full with the UNHCR representative and with the Americans (Hank Cushing). The Americans were aware of the proposal before I arrived and were very keen that I discussed it with the UNHCR. I was also keen to talk to Greg Beyer who is known to have strong views on this issue in general and on Hong Kong's role in it in particular. Beyer claims that Hong Kong is pushing off boat loads of refugees. I very strongly dibabused Beyer of this. I pointed to the fact that there was no logical explanation for the random way in which voluntary departures occurred. I also reiterated the fact that we would not carelessly damage our reputation by pushing off a few cases. He accepted my denials but I doubt whether this is the last we will hear from Mr Beyer.

I did not discuss the proposal with the representatives of the Government of the Philippines. Ambassador Vila raised the matter with me but said that he had been presented by the UNHCR to take some action regarding 86 ex-China cases who have turned up in the Philippines. My impression was that he knew what to do but was not very keen to take the necessary action. I got the distinct impression that the "four days of tension" would be used as an excuse to prevaricate on this matter.

/We..