GRS 180
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 1621
OF 280345Z MAY 86
INFO ROUTINE WASHINGTON
CONFIDENTIAL
30
Литако Let's discuss
Ch.
MKK 243/9
RECEIVED IN PU
10 JUN 1986
(INS)
YOUR TELNO 947: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
WE ARE PROPOSING TO TALK TO THE AMERICANS AND A NUMBER OF OTHER
REPRESENTATIVES OF RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES HERE ABOUT THE PRESENT
AND FUTURE RATE OF RESETTLEMENT FROM HONG KONG. WITH THE AMERICANS
WE PROPOSE TO CONCENTRATE ON THEIR RESETTLEMENT CRITERIA. THEY
HAVE LITTLE FLEXIBILITY. IN THE PAST WE HAVE BENEFITTED FROM
WHATEVER LIMITED DISCRETION THE AMERICANS HERE HAVE. STAFF CHANGES
SUGGEST THAT WE ARE UNLIKELY TO ENJOY THIS ADVANTAGE FOR MUCH
LONGER (PLEASE PROTECT).
2. WE DO NOT (NOT) THANK THAT IT IS WORTHWHILE PRESSING THE
AMERICANS TO DIVERT UNUSED SLOTS FROM OTHER PLACES OF FIRST
ASYLUM. ALL OF THE INDICATIONS HERE ARE THAT THEY WILL STILL MAKE THESE PLACES AVAILABLE TO HONG KONG. OUR CONCERN IS THAT THEY WILL NOT (NOT) BE ABLE TO FILL THEM. WE MUST PRESS THEM TO RELAX THEIR
RESETTLEMENT CRITERIA.
3. WE PROPOSE TO TRY TO DISCUSS THIS POSSIBILITY INFORMALLY WITH
THE AMERICANS HERE BEFORE WE RANSE HIT WITH THEM AT A FORMAL MEETING.
AS FAR AS THE AMERICANS ARE CONCERNED, THE NEXT STEP IS THE STATE DEPARTMENT'S REACTION TO THE RAY PANEL REPORT. UNTIL THEY HAVE THIS
REACTION THE AMERICANS HERE ARE RELUCTANT TO DISCUSS RESETTLEMENT
TOO OPENLY. WE SHALL KEEP YOU INFORMED OF THE RESULTS OF OUR
APPROACHES TO THEM. MEANWHILE IT WOULD GREATLY HELP US IF YOU
AND WASHINGTON COULD ALSO PRESS THEM TO RELAX THEIR CRITERIA.
AKERS-JONES
BOAT PEOPLE
LIMITED
STAD
HKD
UND
FED
NEWS D
MARD
P8
PS/MR RENTON
Re
ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION
BOAT PEOPLE
RECEIVED !!-
DEAK
10 JUN 1936
BIR W HARDING
MR SLATER MR WILSON
CONFIDENTIAL
IN
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.