TNAG-1536-FCO40-2100-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-resettlement-in-third-countri-1986 — Page 42

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INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG, UKMIS GENEVA

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YOUR TELNO 83: ACCEPTANCE BY BELGIUM OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG

KONG

1. THE FIRST SECRETARY TOGETHER WITH FRENCH (COUNSELLOR HKGO) CALLED ON SCHOKKAERT, HEAD OF THE MFA'S DIVISION INCLUDING RESPONSIBILITY FOR REFUGEES, TO CONVEY THANKS FOR THE BELGIAN DECISION. SCHOKKAERT CONFIRMED THAT THE DECISION WAS NOW OFFICIAL AND WE COULD REFER TO IT IN PUBLIC.

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SCHOKKAERT INDICATED THAT THE DECISION OF THE JUSTICE MINISTER HAD BEEN IN RESPONSE TO THE TIMELY COMBINATION OF THE EMBASSY'S PRESSURE TOGETHER WITH THAT OF GUYAUX (HKGO BRUSSELS TELEX 8 586 TO HK REFERS). (THE CONDITION ATTACHED TO THE GRANTING OF VISAS, THAT A FINANCIALLY SOLVENT PERSON SHOULD GUARANTEE THE MAINTENANCE OF EACH REFUGEE, WAS NO DOUBT ALSO IMPORTANT IN VIEW OF THE PUBLIC PRESSURES REFERRED TO IN PARA 4 BELOW).

3. THE NUMBER OF FAMILY REUNION CASES ACCEPTED BY GOL WAS CLEARLY CHOSEN AS THE TOTAL NUMBER OF SUCH CASES ORIGINALLY NOTIFIED TO THE BELGIANS BY WOODHOUSE (HKG) IN OCTOBER 1985 (MY TELNO 321 (1985) REFERS) SCHOKKAERT MADE CLEAR THAT THERE WOULD BE NO ADVANTAGE IN OUR PRESSING FOR ACCEPTANCE OF THE REST OF THOSE IN THE LIST OF 51 PASSED TO THE BELGIANS IN JANUARY (HK TELNO 5 REFERS), FOR THE TIME BEING. BUT HE ACCEPTED THAT SHOULD GUYAUX, DURING HIS VISIT TO HONG KONG, ESTABLISH THAT THERE ARE MORE THAN 29 GENUINE CLOSE FAMILY LINKS IN BELGIUM, INCLUDING SOMEONE WILLING TO ASSUME FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, WE COULD REVERT WITH A FURTHER REQUEST IN DUE COURSE.

4. FRENCH TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO RUN OVER THE BACKGROUND TO THE REFUGEE PROBLEM IN DETAIL. SCHOKKAERT RESPONDED BY SAYING THAT THE BELGIAN GOVERNMENT HAD IN THE LAST TWO YEARS FACED INCREASING PUBLIC CRITICISM ABOUT THE ACCEPTANCE OF REFUGEES. LETTERS OF COMPLAINT TO TINDEMANS WERE MAKING TWO MAIN POINTS: FIRSTLY THAT AT A TIME OF ECONOMIC STRINGENCY BELGIUM SHOULD BE DEVOTING ITS RESOURCES TO INTERNAL NEEDS, AND SECONDLY, THAT THERE WAS ABUSE OF SOCIAL SECURITY AFFORDED TO THE REFUGEES. SCHOKKAERT GAVE SOME FIGURES INDICATING THE SCALE OF ALLEGED ABUSES, BUT ACCEPTED THAT VIETNAMESE

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