!
CONFIDENTIAL
GRS 200 CONFIDENTIAL
FM UKMIS GENEVA
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 379
OF 080812Z JULY 1986
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG
124
*
pary I a
litte
odd
св
RECEIV
HKK 243/3
WOODHOUSE'S (HONG KONG) TELELETTER OF 20 JUNE: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: RESETTLEMENT DURING 1986
SUMMARY
1.
UNHCR THINK IT UNLIKELY THAT CONTINUED HIGH OFFTAKE BOUW 986 KONG CAN BE MAINTAINED IN 1987. THEY CONFIRM DIVISION BETWEEN QUOTA AND FAMILY REUNION CASES SHOULD CONTINUE.
DETAIL
2. UNHCR CONSIDER THE OFFTAKE SO FAR THIS YEAR FROM HONG KONG TO BE EXCEPTIONAL BUT WARN THAT AN EQUIVALENT RESPONSE FORM RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES NEXT YEAR IS UNLIKELY. ONE OF HONG KONG'S TRUMP CARDS THAT OF HAVING THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF REFUGEES IN SOUTH EAST ASIA - HAS JUST BEEN LOST TO MALAYSIA WHO ARE GETTING VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE LACK OF RESETTLEMENT FOR THEIR LONG-STAYERS.
3. UNHCR ARE WORRIED THAT THE 6-8,000 REFUGEES IN HONG KONG WHICH WAS FORECAST FOR THE END OF 1986 WILL IN PRACTICE RISE TO 10,000. THEY THINK MORE BOATS ARE NOW GOING TO HONG KONG AND PHILIPPINES (WHOSE RATE OF ARRIVALS HAS ALSO INCREASED) AND (UNOFFICIALLY) SUSPECT THIS IS RESULT OF INDONESIAN HARD-LINE POLICY OF CONFISCATING ARRIVING THAI AND VIETNAMESE FISHING BOATS, IMPRISONING THEIR CREW (RING-LEADERS) AND RETURNING THEM TO WHERE THEY CAME
FROM.
Viction as
will
Cus
Thorlund
UNHCR CONSIDER THAT DIVISION BETWEEN QUOTA AND FAMILY REUNION CASES SHOULD BE MAINTAINED AS THE LATTER CAN OFTEN BE CONSIDERED IMMIGRANTS RATHER THAN REFUGEES. ALSO, QUOTAS CAN BE USED FOR REFUGEES WITH NO LINKS WITH THE COUNTRY CONCERNED.
MOSS
BOAT PEOPLE
LIMITED
BEAD
HKD
UND
FFD
NEWS D
MAED
P8
PS/MR RENTON
SIR W HARDING
MR SLATER
MR WILSON
ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION
BOAT PEOPLE
CONFIDENTIAL
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.