GRS 900
CONFIDENTIAL
FM PARIS
TO ROUTINE F C O
TELNO 530
OF 211704Z MAY 86
PARKOZY
D
Confidential
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TOP COPRECEIVED IN REGISTRY
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INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG, BRUSSELS, UKMIS GENEVA
22 MAY 1986
OFSK OFFICER
IMEX
REGISTRY
BRUSSELS FOR HKGO
YOUR TELNO 302: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG
SUMMARY
243/1 (21
1. FRANCE ACCEPTS ONLY 13 OF REFUGEES ON LISTS GIVEN LAST DECEMBER. COULD ACCEPT ABOUT 250 EXTRA FRENCH-SPEAKERS OVER 2 YEARS IF ECOLES SANS FRONTIERES PROJECT SUCCESSFUL BUT NO GUARANTEE. LADY YOUNG COULD RAISE WITH BARIANI ON 3 JUNE.
DETAIL
2. WARREN (QUAI) TODAY GAVE US AN UNFORMAL NOTE STATING THAT: (A) SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, FRANCE HAD AUTHORISED RESETTLEMENT FROM HONG KONG OF 13 VIETNAMESE REFUGEES. IT HAD ALSO
ACCEPTED 2 MINORS UNDER THE RASRO PLAN.
(B) AFTER MRS CHALKER'S VISIT, IT WAS DECIDED TO EXAMINE THE CASES OF THE 135 FRENCH-SPEAKING REFUGEES WHOM SHE MENTIONED TO M.
BARIAN!.
(C) A FRENCH ORGANISATION, ECOLES SANS FRONTIERES (ESF),
HAD A PLAN TO TEACH FRENCH TO REFUGESS IN HONG KONG WHO WERE CAPABLE ('SUSCEPTIBLE) OF BEING ACCEPTED IN FRANCE. ALTHOUGH THE MFA COULD NOT OFFER ANY QUANTITATIVE ENGAGEMENT, THIS INITIATIVE COULD FAVOUR THE SELECTION OF FURTHER REFUGEES.
3. WARREN NOTED THAT LAST YEAR FRANCE HAD ACCEPTED NO REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG CAMPS (AS DISTINCT FROM RASRO OPERATIONS). TO ACCEPT 13 THIS YEAR WAS THEREFORE A GESTURE. (LATER HE SAID THAT THIS GESTURE
REFLECTED OUR PRESSURE.)
4. ON (B), WE EXPLAINED THAT MRS CHALKER HAD BEEN REFERRING TO THE LIST OF REFUGEES GIVEN TO THE FRENCH CONSULATE-GENERAL IN HONG KONG IN DECEMBER: NOT ALL WERE FRENCH-SPEAKERS. WARREN SAID THERE HAD BEEN A MISUNDERSTANDING. HE CONFIRMED THAT THE FRENCH EXAMINATION OF THE LIST WAS COMPLETE AND THE FRENCH DECISION WAS TO ACCEPT ONLY THE 13 AT (A), WHOSE FAMILY CONNECTIONS WITH FRANCE HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED. BUT FURTHER ENQUIRIES MIGHT BE MADE INTO THE CONNECTIONS CLAIMED BY SOME OF THE OTHER REFUGEES.
5. WARREN WAS CONFIDENT THAT ESF WOULD BE ABLE TO REALISE ITS PLANS. BUT NO ADVANCE GUARANTEE ON RESETTLEMENT PLACES COULD BE GIVEN: FRANCE DID NOT FIX QUOTAS, EVEN EG IN THAILAND WERE ESF WAS INVOLVED. MINISTERS MUST HAVE THEIR HANDS FREE. BUT IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT FOR FRANCE TO REFUSE FRENCH-SPEAKING REFUGEES. WHEN PRESSED, HE SAID HE THOUGHT ESF IDEAS OF FRANCE RESETTLING 20 REFUGEES PER MONTH WERE AMBITIOUS: 10 PER MONTH WOULD BE MORE
REASONABLE.
Confidential
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