TNAG-1536-FCO40-2100-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-resettlement-in-third-countri-1986 — Page 5

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OCMIAN 6531

CONFIDENTIAL

PP HOKON

FM FCOLN TO HOKON

2713452 JUN

GRS 401

CONFIDENTIAL

•

ہے

Раде

B

HKK 243

ECEIVED IN REGISTRY

Carti

80

46531

1

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO PRIORITY HONG KONG

TELNO 1279

OF 271345Z JUNE 86

INFO PRIORITY WASHINGTON

0227/17

5

57

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1 JUL 1986

jcpm.

3/7/86

73

OUR TELNO TITO, YOUR TELNO 1885 AND WASHINGTON TELNO 1665:

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES

1.

FURTHER TO PARA 4 OF OUR TUR, NASH (SEAD) AND LEEKS (HKD) SAW NEIGHBOUR (US EMBASSY) INFORMALLY ON 26 JUNE AND MADE POINTS SUMMARISED IN PARA 11 OF YOUR TUR. THEY STRESSED IN PARTICULAR

NEED TO MAINTAIN STEADY US OFFTAKE FROM HONG KONG AT LEAST AT CURRENT LEVELS, AND NEED THEREFORE TO ENSURE FLEXIBILITY IN APPLICATION OF PRESENT US CRITERIA. NEIGHBOUR TOOK NOTE AND

AGREED TO REPORT THIS CONCERN. HE BELIEVED THE 10 YEARS NEEDED TO COMPLETE IMMIGRATION TECHNICALITIES FOR FAMILY REUNION CASES (PARA 7 OF YOUR TUR) RESULTED FROM A COMBINATION OF A 5 YEAR QUALIFYING PERIOD FOR POTENTIAL SPONSORS PLUS UP TO 5 YEARS BUREAUCRATIC DELAY IN PROCESSING APPLICATIONS. HE AGREED TO REPORT THE CONSIDERABLE ADVANTAGES WE IDENTIFIED (PARA 7 OF YOUR TUR) IN SUPPORT OF SPEEDIER PROCESSING OF THESE CASES.

2.

WE ASKED IN THE CONTEXT OF THE RAY REPORT WHAT VIEW STATE

DEPT NOW TOOK OF THE PROBLEM OF ECONOMIC MIGRANTS IN THE

INDOCHINESE SITUATION. NEIGHBOUR VOLUNTEERED THAT USCG HONG KONG

HAD REPORTED A RECENT SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST EDITORIAL

ADVOCATING 'FORCIBLE REPATRIATION' TO VIETNAM. HE ADDED THAT

:

1

CONFIDENTIAL