TNAG-1537-FCO40-2101-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-resettlement-in-third-countri-1986 — Page 161

OCMIAN 8060

UNCLASSIFIED

PP HOKON

FM FCOLN TO HOKON

221530Z AUG

GRS 401

UNCLASSIFIED

PM FCO

TO PRIORITY HONG KONG

TELNO 1808

OF 22153OZ AUGUST 86

UNCLASSIFIED

58060

1

HKK 243

RECEIVED IN REGISTAY!

26 AU_12986

INOYX

MIPT: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES

1. FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF THE AUSTRALIAN PAPER.

INDO-CHINA REFUGEES IN HONG KONG

BEGINS.

AUSTRALIA HAS DECIDED THAT ITS PLANNING FIGURE FOR THE INTAKE OF

INDO-CHINESE REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG SHOULD REMAIN AT 400 IN

1986/87.

AUSTRALIA'S DECISION TO INCREASE ITS INTAKE OF INDO-CHINESE

REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG IN 1985/86 FROM 400 TO 600 WAS A ONE-OFF

DECISION IN RESPONSE TO BRITAIN'S DECISION TO ACCEPT SOME 500 PERSONS WITH CONNECTIONS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM. OUR REFERENCE

TO A POSSIBLE FURTHER ALLOCATION OF 200 PLACES TO HONG KONG IN 1985/86 DID NOT EVENTUATE SINCE OUR OVERALL INDO-CHINA PROGRAM

WAS FULLY COMMITTED FROM ELSEWHERE.

AUSTRALIA IS CONCERNED AT THE RECENT INCREASE IN ARRIVALS OF

VIETNAMESE IN HONG KONG. WE NOTE THAT NORTHERN VIETNAMESE

CONTINUE TO CONSTITUTE THE MAJORITY OF THESE ARRIVALS.

SHARE THE SCEPTICISM OF THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES ABOUT THE

CLAIMS OF THESE ARRIVALS TO BE REFUGEES.

WE

AUSTRALIAN MINISTERS HAVE DECIDED THAT FUTURE REACTION TO REQUESTS FOR RE-SETTLEMENT IN AUSTRALIA OF INDO-CHINESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG WILL BE HEAVILY DEPENDANT UPON THE UNITED KINGDOM'S- GIVING A SIGNIFICANT LEAD BY BECOMING A LEADING RESETTLEMENT

I

UNCLASSIFIED

(135.

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