TNAG-1530-FCO40-2094-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-general-1986 — Page 25

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NOTE OF MEETING WITH THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES ON TUESDAY, 28 OCTOBER 1986 AT HOME OFFICE, QUEEN ANNE'S GATE

Present: Mr Waddington

Mr Hyde

Mr Morris Mr McDowall Mr Hudson

Mr Hocke, UNHCR Mr Volfing, UNHCR Mr Adams, UNHCR Miss Khan, UNHCR

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RECEIVED IN REGISTRÝ

- 2 DEC 1986

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Action Taken

1. The object of the meeting was to discuss in more detail some of the issues which had been raised during the meeting with the Home Secretary immediately beforehand.

Iranians

2.

Mr Waddington said that the proportion of Iranians being allowed leave to remain was lower this year than in 1985. One reason for this was that those now applying were persons who had been here for many years in a temporary capacity, usuallly as students, and were claiming asylum as a last resort. They inevitably found it harder to show that they had specific cause to fear going back to Iran. In addition, there were now more applicants who had arrived after the fall of the Shah and so found it more difficult to argue that they had a genuine fear of return. A number had also entered illegally. Mr Waddington said that although the Government had adopted a generous policy towards Iranians, it had never undertaken to allow all Iranians to stay even if they had no genuine fear of returning. The Government could not therefore accept a general policy of non-returnability nor of the threat of military service justifying the grant of refugee status or exceptional leave to remain. Mr Waddington asked Mr Hocke what policy UNHCR recommended in relation to Iranians.

3. Mr Hocke said that if they satisfied the criteria of the convention then they should, of course, be granted refugee status. However, UNHCR were satisfied that Iranians returned faced great dangers by being required to undergo military service at the front-line. In this respect they were treated differently from ordinary conscripts and justified special consideration even if they could not be granted refugee status. Mr Hocke asked that they be granted exceptional leave to remain in the hope that circumstances in Iran would soon improve sufficiently to enable them to be returned. In discussion it was pointed out that many had already been here some considerable time and granting further leave, however short, would make it even more unlikely that they could ever be returned to Iran. Mr Hocke said that it would in his view be helpful if the EC Official Working Group were to consider policy towards Iranians so that a common policy was developed.

Hong Kong

4. Mr Waddington explained that existing commitments had not yet been completed and the Government would in due course have to decide whether to accept additional refugees for resettlement. The Government felt very strongly that any further commitment should not be undertaken without some progress on addressing the wider issues. The problem must be made finite and public opinion in Hong Hong and here was hostile to the idea of accepting more

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