TNAG-1536-FCO40-2100-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-resettlement-in-third-countri-1986 — Page 46

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61

GRS 400

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 1874

OF 180645Z JUNE 86

*INFO ROUTINE UKMIS GENEVA, HANOI

T

HKCK 243/9

2 5 JUN 1986

GISTRY Action Taken

PERSONAL FOR WILSON (AUS ASIA) FROM GOVERNOR

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES

1. YOU ASKED ME TO GIVE MINISTERS ADVANCE WARNING WHEN SENSITIVE

ISSUES WERE LIKELY TO ARISE IN HONG KONG. BELIEVE THAT THE

VIETNAMESE REFUGEE PROBLEM IN HONG KONG COULD BECOME SUCH AN ISSUE *IF THE NUMBER OF REFUGEES RISES SUBSTANTIALLY ONCE AGAIN AND THE

PROSPECTS OF RESETTLING THEM IN THIRD COUNTRIES CONTINUE TO

DIMINISH.

2. AS YOU KNOW, WE WARMLY WELCOMED HMG'S INITIATIVE TO TAKE MORE REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THIS HAD THE DESIRED EFFECT IN PERSUADING OTHER COUNTRIES ALSO TO TAKE MORE. CONSEQUENTLY THE NUMBER WATHING N HONG KONG FOR RESETTLEMENT HAS DECLINED. HOWEVER, OUR ASSESSMENT NOW IS THAT THE RESPONSE TO HMG'S INITIATIVE IS BEGINNING TO DRY UP AND THAT THE PROSPECT FOR RESETTLEMENT PLACES IS BECOMING BLEAKER. ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ACCOUNT, ARRIVALS SO FAR THIS YEAR HAVE BEEN 100 PERCENT HIGHER THAN IN THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR AND WE ARE NOW ENTERING INTO THE ANNUAL PERIOD OF MAXIMUM NFLOW. WE COULD BE QUICKLY FACED ONCE AGAIN WITH A CONSIDERABLE POLITICAL PROBLEM. THE RESISTANCE IN THE UK TO TAKING FURTHER NUMBERS OF VIETNAMESE COULD DEVELOP INTO A

SERIOUS ISSUE BETWEEN LONDON AND PUBLIC OPINION HN HONG KONG F THERE IS NO OBVIOUS ALTERNATIVE COURSE OF ACTION.

3. AS STATED IN HONG KONG TELNO 1637, THE OPTIONS SEEM TO BE EITHER A) FOR HMG TO ACCEPT A FURTHER COMMITMENT (AS A STIMULUS TO A LARGER INTAKE BY RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES):

OR B) FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF INVOLUNTARY REPATRIATION TO VIETNAM

TO BE FULLY EXPLORED.

4. ON (A), WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON AN ASSESSMENT OF THE SUCCESS OF THE UK INITIATIVE AND ON SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR A FURTHER COMMITMENT AS A STIMULUS FOR A NEW INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVE. THE RESULTS ARE IN MIFT. IF SOMETHING ON THESE LINES WERE IMPOSSIBLE, THEN, WE ARE LIKELY TO BE FORCED BACK ON CONSIDERING MORE SERIOUSLY THAN IN THE PAST THE QUESTION OF REPARTRIATION.

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